Dark Parasite
by dvorak-lover
Summary: The team gets a new case. And it will affect Jimmy more than everyone else. His past comes back to haunt him. What to do if the case has supernatural origins? I own nothing. Focus on NCIS. ( hiatus until I figure out how to finish it )
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Dr. Ambrose looked at the comatose man in the bed. Another one. A marine recently arrived home, honourably discharged, had managed to get home in one piece, only to end up like this.

Five. Five people in the last three months appeared in the hospital in a comatose state. All of them in perfect health, no medical reason to explain the problem.

There was something wrong about this. There was something really weird going on, and the worse thing: there was nothing he could do about it.

He needed help, this could not be a coincidence. He just hoped his friend could help.

Gibbs was working on his boat, measuring a piece of wood that he was going to cut. He then heard someone entering his home and walking towards the basement. He raised his head to see Ambrose.

" It's been a while. " He said.

" Yes. It has. I would apologize about it, but it would only make ou cranky. " The man had dark spots under his eyes, he looked worried, this was not a social visit.

" Something troubling you? "

" I think so. " The doctor said.

Ambrose was an average looking man, not short, not tall, His face was not too round or too squared, his eyes were warm brown. His light brown hair was cut short. He walked down the stairs and sat on the stool, looking at the boat his friend was building.

A jar with bourbon appeared next to him. He took it in his hands but didn't drink it.

" I think something weird is going on Jethro. And it might be something that you'll need to look at. " He took a file from the messenger bag he carried everywhere. It wasn't one of the hospital's files. This one he put it together himself.

He dropped it on the table, Gibbs took it and opened, reading.

" I know that you're no doctor Jethro, but this has been bothering me. Something is wrong with these cases, something in my gut tells me that they're not natural. And there's nothing I can do to help them. "

Gibbs placed the file in the table again.

" I'll look in to it. Ask to our ME to look in to it too. "

" Good, maybe he can have an idea about what is causing this. " Said the middle-aged doctor, nodding slowly.

The man drank the bourbon with one swift motion. He placed the now empty jar on the table, standing up. Then walking up the stairs.

" See you later Jethro. I gotta head home and try to get some sleep. "

" I'll call you Ambrose. "

" Thanks. " He said, before leaving the basement and the house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Gibbs strode into the Autopsy room in the morning, the hiss from the doors alerting the older man sitting in the table, finishing some accumulated paperwork, to his presence.

" Morning Jethro! To what do I owe the pleasure? We don't have any active cases. "

" Morning Duck. " Said Gibbs, handing a file to the ME. " Can you look into this and tell me what you think? "

" Certainly, but what is this, exactly? " Said Ducky opening the file.

" A friend is a doctor and gave this to me, something about this doesn't sit right for him. "

Ducky looked through a few pages.

" It is most certainly strange. When I finish I'll give you my thoughts about it. "

Gibbs turned and left to the bullpen.

* * *

In the bullpen, Gibbs saw McGee already at his desk.

" McGee. "

" Morning Boss. "

Gibbs took a paper from his pocket and gave it to the younger agent.

" I want you to look in to this names, see what they have in common. "

" Did we get a case? "

" Maybe not sure yet. "

McGee didn't question, just started working on the names he got.

* * *

Palmer worked silently during the morning, Dr. Mallard was focussed on a file he apparently got from Agent Gibbs. He looked really focussed. After a few hours the assistant couldn't take it anymore.

" What are you working on, Dr. Mallard? "

" Jethro got this file from a friend. Apparently in the last three months, five marines appeared in the hospital where he works. All in a comatose state, but nothing medically wrong was found. They all seem to just, not want to wake up. "

Palmer walked over to the older man, reading over the man's shoulder.

" But they could not find anything wrong? At all? "

" There are some notes. The men were having some trouble sleeping, night terrors. And even hallucinations. "

" And they don't know what caused those either? "

" No conclusive results in the tests. "

" Five unexplained cases in three months, all marines. Three already died from whatever this is. "

" I believe we have a new case. "

* * *

After work that day, Ducky and Palmer went to Bethesda. They asked to see Dr. Ambrose. The doctor was relieved to see the ME and that the man thought that there was something to his suspicions after all.

Palmer was in the room of the latest patient.

A man walked in the room.

" Oh, sorry. " He said. The man was lean and was wearing light brown pants with brown shoes, a light blue button down shirt with a gray tie. An old messenger bag hanging around his shoulder. " Do you know Eric? "

" Not personally, no. "

The man smiled and walked closer to Palmer, offering his hand for the assistant ME to take.

" I'm Jake, nice to meet you. "

Palmer shook hands with the man, and a shudder ran in his spine. And for a second he got dizzy, but as fast as it came it went away.

" James Palmer. "

" So, what are you doing visiting Eric, if you don't know him? "

" I, I'm an assistant ME. Me and my boss are looking into these men, they are very confusing cases. "

" Oh, I see. " Jake said.

" I should go, my boss must be looking for me. "

" Good bye, nice meeting you James Palmer. " Said Jake with a smile.

Palmer left the hospital that day with a weird feeling in his stomach. He didn't know what it was, but it made him want to run away as fast as he could. He shook his head, that was a weird thought. All he needed was a good night sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The team was getting ready to go home, Tony and Ziva already turning their computers off.

" Boss? "

Gibbs raised his head and looked at McGee.

" I got that information you wanted. "

Gibbs stood and walked over to the plasma. McGee pressed a button and the information appeared in it.

" All five men were marines. I looked into their files, all discharged recently. But one thing stands out. They were all attending meetings in Barker Center, is an institution that offers therapy and support groups for men and women that have a hard time readjusting to civilian life. Mostly PTSD cases.

" This the only thing they have in common? "

" They were all honourably discharged. All marines. But they're all different ages, different races.

" This a new case, boss? " Asked Tony from his desk.

" Could be, DiNozzo. "

Ziva and Tony stood from their desks and walked over and stood next to Gibbs.

" So, what has happened to these men? " Asked Ziva.

" In the last three months, all of them were admitted to Bethesda Hospital in a comatose state. " Said McGee.

" Doctor have no idea what caused them to get like that. Three already died. " Said Gibbs.

" So, were thinking someone did that to them? " Asked Tony.

" I don't know what happened. But something did. "

" Jethro! Good, you're still here. "

The team turned to see Ducky.

" I just came back from visiting the hospital, I spoke with your friend Dr Ambrose. "

" What do you think, Duck? "

" I believe that whatever it is that ills these men, is not natural. " Said the ME. " I that we should look into it. "

Gibbs nodded.

" I already took the liberty to ask for the hospital to send the samples they used for the men's tests and fresh ones from the two patients still alive. They should in Abby's lab tomorrow. " Said the ME, leaving the bullpen. " And if you would excuse me, I have paperwork regarding three bodies I need to take a look at. "

" Go home, we start early on this tomorrow. " Said Gibbs, leaving the bullpen and climbing up the stairs, heading to the directors office.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 _The sounds of the leaves and twigs under his feet, the air passing quickly through by his ears. His tired breath came out painfully. His heart was beating so fast and strongly that he was afraid that it jump out of his chest. All he could see through the tears that filled his eyes were the shapes of trees. He had to keep running, doesn't matter how strongly he wanted to hide under a tree and cry. He had a mission and he had to keep going._

 _The only thing in his mind was the words she told him and his panic. He had to be fast, faster, faster. But he was so tired._

Jimmy woke in a startle, his heart beating fast, covered in sweat, soaking his clothes and sheets, and still he was shivering. He ran a hand through his face and noticed that he had tears in his eyes. He grabbed his glasses in the night stand and looked at the clock. 3:00 am. He sighed, there was no way he would be able to fall back to sleep in the state he was in. He got out of bed. It has been a long time since he had that particular nightmare, really long since one so lifelike.

That morning he didn't have his usual smile when he entered the Autopsy room, he was working slower than usual, he felt drained. He checked his blood sugar, just to make sure it was alright. As the day went by the worse he felt, it was like the only thing he could think about was that nightmare.

The day seemed not to pass, he could feel every second of it, he forced himself to do his job like every other day, his posture to be normal, to smile when others spoke to him.

The longer time passed, more his mind dwelled in memories of the past. Memories he thought he had locked away forever. He was slowly getting emotionally drained.

He was tired, he needed to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The team arrived in the morning and started to research the men's lives, going over everything Tim had already found. Abby received the samples in the morning and started working. Ducky was still working on getting the bodies released to him, one had already been cremated, one was already buried and the last was still in the morgue at the hospital.

It was about 9 am when Gibbs got a call.

" Gibbs. "

" Hello Jethro. " It was Ambrose. " I have bad news, George Jones, died late last night. "

That only left one man alive from the five names they had.

" We'll be right over. " Gibbs said, hanging up on the doctor.

Later that day, the team already finished in the hospital, were working on the statements made by the hospital staff. It seemed that the only one that found the whole situation weird was Dr Ambrose. All the others didn't seem to care, it was all an 'unfortunate' situation.

Gibbs waited a while for Abby to work on the evidence they collected then went down to visit her, sending Tony and Ziva to visit the Barker Center and talk to the people there. And from there to start talking to the friends and family of the victims.

He strode in the lab, the perky goth turning to him with a smile.

" Most interesting the things you brought to me Gibbs. "

" Why is that? "

" These guys were scared. " She said.

" They were sick and dying, I bet they were. "

" No, I mean like a lot scared Gibbs. Our bodies produce hormones in stressful situations, when we're scared. The blood I got from them, the levels of these hormones is through the roof! " She said, moving her hand above her head for emphasis. " And following the time they took the blood, from the first to the last time, it only got bigger and bigger. To levels that I didn't know it was possible! "

" So they were poisoned? "

" No, they were natural hormones, synthetic ones can be identified by certain compounds that are not naturally found in our body. The hormones in their blood are 100% natural. "

" So what caused it? "

" I don't know yet. I'm waiting for Jimmy to come up with the samples from the dead victims. "

" Good work Abbs. " He said turning to leave.

" And my Caff-Pow? "

" You don't know why it's happening yet. " He said, as he was out the door.

The doors of the Autopsy room opened with a hiss. Gibbs walking in, to see Palmer nearly jumping out of his skin to the soft sound of the door, turning fast to see him enter and leaving the autopsy room with a couple of sample jars.

" Jethro. In time as usual. "

" What you got Duck? "

" Well I'm just finishing with our latest victim. And what I found is most curious. " Ducky said gesturing for a healing cut in the arm of the corpse. " See this cut? I looked in his file, this is the exact same place and size of an injury he suffered during an ambush in Afghanistan. He had several others, all in the exact same spot that ones he suffered during his deployment. But, even more curious, there were no particulates or anything to indicate what caused it. It looks like the wounds just opened by themselves. "

" That's not possible. "

" I would seem like so. And yet, is what the evidence shows. "

The two men stared at the body, both thinking about the same thing. A time long ago, where they met a man who specialized in the impossible, and saved the two men from things they didn't believe to be real.

" Are you sure Duck? "

" There are no indications that a weapon was used, they just opened by themselves. There's no direction of the cut or anything. "

" You think you'll find the same thing in the other bodies? "

" I have to perform the autopsy to be sure, but I suspect I will. "

They stayed silent for a while.

" That's a call I hoped to never have to make. "

" So did I. "

" If nothing else shows up in the other autopsies, I'll call. "


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It took hours for Tony and Ziva to come back from the interviews.

" Well, the families of the victims all said pretty much the same thing. " Started Tony. " All were good guys, they had trouble with PTSD, but the therapy and support groups were helping. "

" But they did said they looked disturbed in the days prior to their coma. " Said Ziva. " Having nightmares, looking tired all the time, the wife of the first victim even said that her husband appeared to be hallucinating. Talking to people who weren't there. "

" We talked to the people in the center, they had no problems with people there. Sometimes they would be a little emotional over something, but nothing serious or out of the ordinary for someone in their place. " Completed Tony.

" So, what do we know so far? " Asked McGee.

Gibbs half-listened to his agents while they went over what they knew. All the team leader could think of was that Ducky couldn't finish those autopsies fast enough.

The hours passed and they could not find any motive.

Near the end of the day, Gibbs went back to Autopsy. He looked at Ducky, noticing again, Palmer jumping and running out of the room. ' I thought he wasn't this jumpy around me anymore. '

" Jethro. I finished the autopsies, and unfortunately, the results are all the same. "

Gibbs sighed, getting his wallet out of his pocket, taking an old small folded piece of paper from inside it.

It was time to call John Winchester.

* * *

Sam woke up with Dean hitting his arm.

" What? "

" Phone. "

Sam blinked a few times and noticed the faint ringing coming from the glove compartment. He opened it and moved the objects around for a while, until he found the one that was ringing.

" It's one of dad's. " He said, then he picked up the call. " Hello? "

" John Winchester? " Said a male voice.

" No. "

" Is this his phone? "

" Yes, what is this about? "

" I need to speak to him. "

" You can't, he died. "

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.

" Am I correct to assume that you're from the same line of work as him? "

" Depends. " The answer was apparently all the man needed.

" We have something that might fit into to your skill set. "

" What is it? "

" Do you know something that's able to make people have nightmares, hallucinations, open old wounds spontaneously and go into comas they never wake up from? "

Sam thought about it for a moment. It sounded weird enough.

" It sounds weird enough to be in our ball park. Who's asking? "

" Agent Gibbs, NCIS. "

" Agent? "

" I know that people like you don't trust federal agents, or the cops. But marines are dying and we don't have a clue why. John helped me once and I know that you walk in a gray area. Are you in or not? Cause I need answers, there's a man dying right now! "

Sam looked at Dean, who was listening to the call since it was on speaker. They had a quiet talk, until Sam answered.

" We're in. "

" How fast can you get to DC? "


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 _It hurt, his back was burning, at every hit it burned more. His face was hot from the tears running down his face, his mouth open in a silence scream. It would only hurt harder if he screamed._

 _His shirt was in the floor next to him, faded gray, a few holes, and to big for him. He was pressing his face against the cold dirty floor. As if he could somehow phase through it and escape._

 _But it didn't matter how hard he tried, he was in the dark, dirty, cold apartment. The smell of microwaved frozen food, cigars, alcohol and 'him'. The stench of his sweat and rotten breath. Lights from the TV dancing on top of the living room furniture. The sounds of the a game coming from the speakers, the sporadic car passing in the street. There were sounds all around him, but the only one he could think about was the hard sound of the leather belt against soft skin. Each time followed by a new renewed wave of pain and tears._

 _The hits stopped for a moment, he thought maybe, the man got tired of it, the boy turned to look at the large man towering over him, arm raised, belt in hand, pants falling slightly, the dirty black shirt crinkled. The look of loathing in his face._

He opened his eyes, he couldn't breathe, his heart felt like it was about to explode. He looked to the side of the bed, the man was there arm still raised, he let his arm down one more time. He wanted to move away, to roll into a ball to protect himself, to at least flinch. But he could not move, not one inch. Panic mixed in his already fear filled veins. He could not even cry out, not even whimper.

Then he was gone. Not before hitting his torso leaving a painful burn behind.

As soon as the man was gone, Jimmy could move again.

His eyes were filled with tears, he turned on his side, the sobs shaking his body violently. Which made his body hurt even harder. When the panic lessened, he noticed that his sheets felt wet. His whole body was covered in sweat, but this felt different. He reached for the lamp on the night stand, hitting the switch.

His hand was red. His hand was covered in a red liquid.

He sat up quickly, pushing the sheets away. There was blood all around him.

He ran to his bathroom turning on the lights. He took of his shirt and pants, examining his body in the mirror. The first thing he noticed was the bleeding whip mark on his chest. His vision was blurred from the tears and he didn't have his glasses on. He ran back to his room, got his glasses and ran back to the bathroom.

He had a bruise on his cheek, there were blood in his teeth, his back were bleeding, whip scars long closed and healed were open again and bleeding. The tears started again with new strength. He sat on the floor, leaning against the bathroom wall.

" What's happening? " His voice cracked between sobs. His body shivering and bleeding in the cold bathroom floor.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The hunter he had called said that it would take him an entire day to reach DC. Gibbs had decided it would be best not to say anything to the team until he was there a knew what was causing this.

For the time being they kept working on the case to see what else they could find.

The more they investigated, the more evidence they found that the Center was where the men were targeted.

The team was in Abby's lab, the woman giving them the results she found.

" All the bodies gave me the same results. " She started. " As I said, the blood drained in the hospital had really high levels of stress hormones. All the men gave the similar results. But, this is where it get hinky. " She said test result appearing on the computer screen. " There was no hormones in the blood of the corpses. Not a single small, tiny, miniscule-"

" We got it Abbs. " Said Gibbs.

" Which is weird, because their levels were increasing the longer they were in coma. But after they died, there was nothing there. "

" So, what happened? How is it possible? " Asked McGee.

" That Timmy is the million dollar question. " She said. " I already asked Ducky to look at the bodies again to see if he could find something that could explain this. And to get more samples too. "

As if he had been waiting for her to say this, Palmer walked in the lab. Or, rather barely dragged himself in.

" Your samples Abby. " He said, in a shaky tired voice, head down.

" Okay there, Autopsy Gremlin? You don't look very hot. " Said Tony, teasing, but with a slightly concerned expression.

Palmer gave a little jump, and looked up, finally noticing the agents, and almost dropping the objets in his hands. Only to Abby hold the things and stopped them from falling.

" Woa, Jimmy. " She said.

" Sorry. "

" No worries man. " Said Tony. " Are you okay? "

" Yeah, jus fine. Just tired. " He said, while Abby signed for the evidence. As soon as she was done he took the paper and walked out of the lab, without another word.

" Thanks? " Said Abby, confused.

" Good job, Abbs. " Gibbs said, leaving the lab, the agent following, giving the forensic scientist the space and time to do her thing.

Palmer's unusual behaviour slipped their minds.

* * *

It was already dark when a black 67 chevy impala parked in a motel in DC. They checked in and called Agent Gibb's number. And agreed to meet in his place.

Not long after they knocked on the door.

A man with gray hair cut short opened it, he had light icy blue eyes. And just from looking at him, the brothers knew that he had been a marine.

" You're Sam? " He asked.

" He is. " Said Dean. " I'm Dean. " No one moved to shake hands, but Gibbs moved backwards, letting the two hunters in.

Inside the house they saw another man, with brown hair, using a bow tie.

" Hello, I'm Dr. Mallard. " He said, standing up and offering his hand.

" Sam. "

" Dean. "

They shook hands, briefly. Gibbs approached them with a couple of files in his hands.

They took it, Sam opening one and reading.

" So, walk us through what is going on. " Said Dean, he and Sam sitting on the couch.

They went through what they already had, the victims, symptoms, interviews.

" So the only thing in common is they went to the same center? " Asked Dean.

" All marines that went to the same center, because of their PTSD. " Answered Ducky.

" And they had nightmares before going into coma. " Said Sam, reading one of the files. " And apparently they were swimming in stress hormones. But there was none in their bodies after they died. " He furrowed his eyebrows. " Was there any weird injuries? "

" They had recent injuries that matched perfectly with ones that they received during their deployments. "

" Match perfectly how? " Asked Dean.

" They were the same size and in the same place. It looked like the old injury just opened by itself. "

" And you said that they were hallucinating? " Asked Sam.

" Yes. Some of the friends reported that they started talking with people who were not there. " Said Gibbs.

" Do you know who? " Asked Dean.

" Only one could say. " Said Gibbs, drinking his coffee. " Said that Alan Matson, was talking to one of the men he lost during an ambush. "

Sam and Dean got quiet for a moment.

" Can we keep this? " Asked Sam, pointing to the files.

Gibbs just nodded.

" We'll let you know when it's taken care of. " Said Dean, standing up.

" No. You'll keep us in the loop. Our case. " Said Gibbs.

Sam and Dean, looked at each other for a second.

" Sure. Agreed. " Said Dean.

Before they left the house, Gibbs got a call. He hung up, angry expression.

" Ambrose got another one. Also marine. "


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

He was exhausted. Every time he closed his eyes, nightmares plagued his mind. He was afraid every second of the day, jumping at the smallest of sounds, he couldn't stop thinking about his nightmares. And his injuries. And he felt like he was being drained of all his energy.

Was he dying? This is how he was going to go? Drowning in his own fear? His mind would be the thing to finally kill him?

He was in the floor of his room, shirtless and using sweat pants. The injuries for the last night showing. He had managed to hide them during the day, and stopped in a drugstore and found some make up to hide the bruise in his cheek. He wasn't sure why was he hiding it. Actually, he did. The though of telling what was happening to him to someone was terrifying. He was felling so afraid all the time, he would not handle talking about it. He didn't want to.

He felt like he was loosing his mind. This was all one big hallucination. A vivid one. Where he could be hurt and bleed.

When his phone rang in the night stand he jumped in his place. He took it with trembling hands. His heart beating loudly, the noise was almost deafening.

It was work.

He thought about ignoring it, he could not deal with it, not now. He could not do this. He would just ignore it, and explain himself in the morning.

He let the phone in the bedside table, ringing until the caller gave up.

He just sat in the dark hugging his legs, until he could no longer stay awake. He fought it, but his eyes didn't listen.

And only nightmares were there to welcome him.

Sam and Dean spent the whole night doing research. They were getting nowhere. At some point during the night they gave up and called Bobby. The older hunter was researching, looking for what that thing was. Sam hacked into the hospital's surveillance system and was looking at the videos. Dean was reading about the Center.

" Dean, check this out. "

The video showed a guy entering the hospital, he briefly looked at the screen, his face changed for a second. His skin looked like it was moving, almost as there were waves underneath it.

" Whoah. What is that? " Asked Dean.

" I have no idea. "

" Great, we still don't have a clue what it is. "

" It looks like it triggers fear, then feeds on it. "

" Like a wraith? "

" Similar, but no holes to the skull. "

They were getting nowhere. When the morning came, they decided to visit the Center and talk to the people there.

Only, they didn't know that two NCIS agent were going to be there aswell.

Tony and McGee approached the information desk in the Barker Center.

" Agent DiNozzo, nice to see you again. " Said the man at the desk, he looked to be in his mid 20s, thick glasses, he looked to be latino. His dark hair, honey skin and warm brown eyes.

" Hey Jeremy. This is Agent McGee. " He pointed to Tim. " We here to ask about Frederick Jackson. "

" Fred? What happened? " The young man asked, looking concerned. " Please don't say he got the same disease as the others. "

" Unfortunately, yes. "

" Did you know him well? " Asked Tim.

" Not really. But he was a nice guy. He was really getting better. Well, this last couple of weeks he looked a bit shaken, but it's normal to happen. "

" Just like the others wore having a bad couple of weeks? " Asked Tony.

The man though for a moment.

" When you say it like that. But you have to understand, when the kind of work we do here, it's not unexpected behaviour. More like is what we expect to see. "

" Anything he said that would indicate why would anyone do this to him? "

" No. He never said anything to me about it. "

" Any gossip? " Asked Tony.

" I already said the last time that here, we avoid talking about people behind their backs. They need to trust us. " He said.

The agents asked a couple more questions, then moved to question other employes, voluntaries and patients.

They were talking to a female doctor, she wasn't working with this last victim, but knew him and others. That's when Tim saw two men walking down the hall.

They were tall, one especially, really tall. They were strong, build up. The way they walked remembered him of experienced military men, that were always on edge, expecting an attack at any second. They looked at their surroundings, like if looking for escape routes and threats.

Tim knew by just looking that they were dangerous men. That had seen too much.

He found it odd for a second, but thinking about it, men like that, it would make sense for them to be here.

But why the cheap suits?

He gave Tony a look and left the senior field agent to finish questioning the woman, while he walked over to the two men to see what they wanted.

When they stopped a man and started asking questions, pulling a badge, Tim was done observing.

"Excuse me. Who are you? "

They both turned to him, the shorter one speaking.

" Who are You? " He said, a distrustful look on his face.

" Agent McGee, NCIS. " He said, showing his badge.

The two men stopped at that.

" Know an Agent Gibbs? " Asked the freakishly tall one.

" Yes, he's my boss. Now who are you? " Asked Tim, a little harsher in his tone.

" Sam and Dean. Call and ask him. " Said the shorter one. " He'll tell you. "

" Don't move. " Said Tim, taking his phone and calling his boss.

" Boss, I got two guys here, Sam and Dean. They're at the Center. " He listened for a while. " Boss? But who-" He got quiet. " Sure, boss. "

" Apparently, we're supposed to let you two do your thing. " Said Tim. " No questions asked. " His face showed how much he disliked the idea.

" Great. " Said the shorter one with a smile that probably would make woman sigh. " Now, if you would excuse us, we have work to do. "

Tim fought the urge to talk back to them. To demand an answer, but his boss said he would give them one, later.

He turned to see Tony walking to him, and he had an idea. Gibbs said, no questions asked, but observing from a distance is not questioning, is it?


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sam and Dean spoke with several people. Leaving for last the man from the video. Jake Richards.

" Mr. Richards, did you know all of the man who became ill? " Asked Sam.

" Yes, it's a shame what happened. Did you guys found out what's happening? "

The man seemed harmless enough, normal people would trust him with no problem. But Sam and Dean had enough experience with hunting all their lives, this guy gave them weird felling.

" Not yet. Do you know of anyone that would want to hurt them? " Asked Dean.

" No, they were good people, they had issues of course, but they were good men. " He said, before, looking thoughtful expression. " Are you guys working with that James Palmer from NCIS? "

" Yes, why do you ask? " Said Sam, remembering the name from one of the files of the case.

" Nothing really, I met him in the hospital while visiting Eric. Seemed like a nice guy, and he said that NCIS was investigating the comas. I got curious, with the FBI looking into the same case. "

" Right. Well, thank you for your time Mr Richards. " Said Dean, he and Sam walking away.

* * *

Tony and Tim were in the car watching the two men walk out of the Center and get in a classic black car.

" That's a nice car. " Said Tony with an appreciative whistle.

" Why did you think Gibbs is letting them work the case, and didn't tell us who they are? " Asked Tim.

" Bossman has his reasons Probie. " Said Tony, masking his own gut screaming that those men were dangerous. " Trust the Bossman. "

" But it's weird, Tony. These men are dangerous, don't tell me you can't see it. " Said Tim.

Tony didn't say anything,not wanting to lie to his probie, but knowing that if Gibbs was doing this, it must have a good reason.

Tim didn't say anything, figuring out what Tony was thinking.

They followed the car as it drove through the city, seeing it park in front of Gibbs favorite diner.

They saw a silver-haired agent looking at them from inside the diner.

Yeah, they were in trouble.

They exited the car, and Tony decided just to be as direct as possible.

When they approached the table where his boss and the two men were, Tony didn't lose time.

" What's going on boss? " His tone was serious, no joking around.

Gibbs just looked at the two agents, his icy glare not diminishing their resolve. They could feel something was wrong.

The two men just watched the exchange, not looking fazed by the tense air around them.

" Sit down. "

* * *

McGee could not believe what he was hearing. He had to be dreaming. There's no way his boss would believe in such a thing. He knows that his boss was not the type to make jokes or pranks.

But he was seriously hoping that he was.

" Monsters? " He asked, voice slowly saying the word.

" Yes. " Said the shorter, that now he knew to be named Dean. " Everything that you were afraid of finding in your closet, is real. "

" Boss, I never took you for a joker. " Said Tony.

Gibbs just stared at his senior field agent.

" I'm not, DiNozzo. "

Tim and Tony just looked at his boss's face. This man was as reliable as they come. Strong, smart, loyal and his gut feelings could be trusted.

" Boss, maybe you been working too hard. " Said Tim, he was seriously concerned. " I bet you have a lot of unused vacation days. "

The two men rolled their eyes, and Gibbs glare at Tim would make a lot of grown man run away.

" I'm fine McGee. And this is all true. "

" No, it isn't boss. This is the opposite of the truth. Is insanity. "

" Are you saying I'm crazy? "

" No, no. Just that you are clearly working too hard, and you're tired. That you should rest and get your head straight. "

" My head is fine McGee. " Growled Gibbs. " And these two are here to figure out what happened to these marines. So are you in or not? " The question was for both agents.

Tony and Tim looked at each other. They didn't believe in what they were hearing, but if these guys were crazy and Gibbs was working with them, there was no way he was doing it alone.

They nodded.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Ziva knew something was going on when the rest of her team got back to the NCIS building. There was something in their minds. Tim was quiet, too quiet, and he looked concerned. Tony wasn't making any jokes. And Gibbs, well, he was the same.

They kept working, but when the night came, Gibbs told them all to leave and meet at his place.

When she got there, Ducky's and Abby's cars were already there, as well as Tony's, Tim's and Gibbs'. Apparently only Palmer was yet to arrive. She noticed a black chevy impala parked near.

She parked and got out of the car, walking towards the front door. She knocked and Tony opened the door.

Besides the expected people, there were two other men there too.

One look at them and she knew that they were experienced fighters, dangerous men to have as enemies.

" Good, now only Mr Palmer is yet to arrive. " Said Ducky, from his spot on the couch.

" James Palmer? " Asked the shorter of the two men.

" Yes, why do you ask? Do you know him? " Asked Ducky.

" No, but someone in the Center mentioned his name. " Said the taller one. " Hello, I'm Sam, this is Dean. " He said to Ziva.

" Ziva David. " She turned to Gibbs. " Why are we meeting these men in your house Gibbs? "

" Because what is killing these men is not natural. Or human. " Said the team leader. " And they, are specialists. "

Ziva thought about what he said for a moment.

" And what is it? "

The two men were surprised by her quick acceptance.

" Just like that you believe us? " Asked Dean.

" In Mossad we are taught not to discard something just because it might be hard to believe. There's a lot of things out there, we just can't see them. "

Her answer brought a smirk to the man's face.

" To answer your question, we don't know what it is yet. We're expecting a call from someone, hopefully with an answer. "

As if waiting for him to say that, a phone rang in Sam's jacket. He picket it up, walking away from the group.

" Hey Bobby. "

He listened for a second.

" You did? So, what is it? "

" A what? I never heard of it. "

Dean approached him and tapped his shoulder. Gibbs following.

" Put it on speaker. " Said Gibbs.

" Just a sec Bobby. " Said Sam, he exchanged a look with Dean, then got back to the call. " Hey Bobby, I'm putting you on speaker, the feds are listening in too. "

He pressed the screen of the phone and placed it on the table.

" Go, Bobby. " Said Dean.

" You guys are hunting a Svart Skygge. "

" A what? " Asked Dean.

An older man's voice came out of the phone, gruff.

" Is not from around here, they appear more in Norway, or in that area of Europe. Can also be seen in East Europe. The name is in norwegian, means black shadow. Is extremely rare, never seen anywhere around here. "

" So what is it? What does it do? "

" It infects the person. Usually it was seen in areas after great tragedy. One touch and the guy's brain begins reliving it's worse memories. Victim gets more and more scared. Nightmares, hallucinations, even having old wounds reappearing. Gets tired and more tired, nightmares getting worse, until the guy doesn't wake up anymore. When the person dies, the Svart shows up and sucks the fear out of them. "

" The hormones! " Said Abby, excited. " The guy were swimming in them, but the bodies didn't have any drop of it. "

" Wait, how does it know when the person dies? " Asked Sam. " And does this Svart can disguise itself as human. We saw a guy visiting all the victims, the camera saw the skin moving on the face. "

" Yeah, it can. The only way to see its real face is with a mirror. " Said Bobby. " And for how does it know, my best guess is some type of mind link with the victims. These things can't take too many victims at a time, because as long as they're alive, there's a connection into their minds. I assume the thing can only take being connected to a limit number of people at a time. "

" How do we kill it? " Asked Dean.

" Standard silver knife to the heart. Kills the bastard. "

" And the victim? It wakes up after that? " Asked Gibbs.

" No, the connection is gone when the creature is killed, but the brain is doing all the work. The Svart just jumpstart the process. "

" There's absolutely no way to cure them? " Asked Ducky.

" I found a passage here that says that the victim might be saved, but it has to be done from the inside out. "

" What does that mean? " Asked Sam.

" The guy who wrote this literally entered the guy's mind. Getting the victim to fight to get out of the nightmare it was in. But it depends on the strength of the victim. If the guy wants to survive or not. "

" So we'll have to get some dream root? " Asked Dean.

" Yeah. "

" Do you know someone around here that might have some Bobby? " Asked Sam.

" I'll text you the number of a place that might have some. "

" Thanks Bobby. " Said Sam and Dean in unison.

" Yeah, you idjits be careful, these are slippery tricky bastards. " Said Bobby, the click indicating he had hung up the call.

" So, you know who it is yet? " Asked Gibbs.

" We think its a guy from the Center. " Said Dean. " Same one that visited the victims on the hospital. "

" I guess now, we just go and you stab him in the heart? " Asked Gibbs.

" Now, is the time WE. " Said Dean pointing to himself and Sam. " Go and gank this bastard. "

" We're going with. " Said Gibbs.

" No offense, but this is hunting. In this, you guys are civilians. " Said Dean

" We can take care of ourselves. " Said Tony. " And Ziva is practically a ninja. "

" Being a fed is different from being a hunter. " Said Sam.

" We can handle it. And it is our case. " Said Gibbs, his tone saying that the matter was decided.

" So, who is the man you talked about? " Asked Tim.

" Jake Richards. " Said Sam. " And we need to be careful, cause he might be getting suspicious. "

" Why do you think that? " Asked Abby.

" We talked to him, and he asked if we were working with James Palmer's team. Wondering why would two agencies be looking into the same case. " Said Dean.

" James Palmer's team? " Asked Ducky.

" Yeah, he said he met him in the hospital, while he visited one of the men. " Said Sam.

Ducky nodded, but remained with a thoughtful expression on his face.

" What is it Ducky? " Asked Abby.

" I'm just thinking about Mr Palmer's behaviour since that day, my dear. " Said the ME. " Actually, he have been acting weird ever since we left the hospital that day. I was seriously considering asking him to take a few days off today. "

" And you thinking that he is infected? " Asked Sam. " Does he fit the pattern of the victims? "

" Autopsy Gremlin? " Said Tony, with a short laugh. " No way. These guys were all plagued with memories of war. Jimmy is one of the happiest guys I know. "

The others were going to agree with him, but stopped.

" He was pretty weird yesterday. " Said Abby. " And today too. "

" And wasn't he supposed to meet us here? " Asked Tim.

" I'll call him. " Said Ducky, walking away from the group.

A few minutes later, he walked back.

" Mr Palmer is not answering his phone. "


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

His eyes were filled with tears when he woke up on the floor. But it didn't feel like he was awake, he was still seeing the leaves and twigs on the floor of the forest. That never-ending forest. He could still hear something behind him. Getting closer and closer, he had to run! But he couldn't move.

It felt like forever until his body obeyed him again. He jumped up, standing and looking around, the forest around him dissipating before his eyes, his apartment appearing.

He was shaking, feeling like he couldn't breathe. His head was spinning.

He was awake, he was home, he was safe. Those wore the words running through his head. Trying to reassure himself and failing miserably.

" Are you sure boy? " Sneered a gruff voice. " You think you're safe? You pathetic little shit. "

Palmer lost his voice. His body freezing in place. He looked upwards, the man standing in the doorway of his room, looking at him with a disgusted expression.

" You're a disaster, you're tainted. Disaster and pain follow you everywhere you go. Everyone you know get hurt, because of you. It's all your fault. "

The man took a step forward, his hand going to his waist, taking the belt off. The same belt with metal rings.

The spell holding Palmer's body in place broke. He ran backwards, ineffectively looking for cover in the corner of the room.

" No, it can't be. " He said, his voice shaky. But it looked real, it sounded real and it even smelled real.

The man took quick steps towards him, raising his arm, belt in hand, only to disappear before reaching him.

Palmer blinked. For some reason, the panic didn't lessen when he disappeared. It only grew larger, like he was in the shadows, waiting to jump him.

He was sitting on the floor for about half an hour, and his alarm rang.

He was sure that he was really close to a heart attack in that moment.

He didn't want to go to work. He would not be able to. He was losing his mind.

But he had to. So he stood, turned off the alarm with shaking hands. And took a shower, put on new clothes and went to work.

Every step he took was a victory, every fake smile, every moment he managed not to cry for the memories in his mind.

He managed to get through the day. He didn't think he could do it, but he did. Even after seeing the man again, in the bathroom. He was lucky no one was there to see him in that way.

At the end of the day, Agent Gibbs told them to meet in his house. He didn't even got curious to why. He was just so tired. He didn't ave the strength to do anything more, to pretend that everything was okay. He was beginning to see shadows at the corner of his eyes, voices reaching his ears.

He just had to go home. He was tired, and yet his mind was running, he could stop thinking.

Always thinking, remembering.

So, he just drove home. He got in and locked the door.

Unfortunately, rest and peace were not there with him.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The two hunters and the NCIS team, minus Ducky and Abby, drove to the Center. According to statements Richards was always there until late.

They got a silver knife each, and Sam and Dean got silver bullets too. Tony and Tim, were slowly getting less suspicious. Everyone seemed to trust what they were saying. They could not all be wrong. Especially Gibbs and Ducky.

The two men told them that they were saved from a werewolf once. Told them the story, they had actually seen it.

Tim just kept telling himself that he trusted Gibbs, and that was enough.

In the Center, there were only a few lights on. The front door one, and a window in the first floor. From what they knew about the plant of the building, it was Richards office.

Ziva, Tony and Sam went trough the back. The agents surprised at how fast and quietly he could pick the lock. Tim, Gibbs and Dean went trough the front. The other hunter just as skilled at picking locks as his brother.

Both teams made their way through the building approaching the office. They met at the door to the office. The door was not closed all the way, and a single glance from Dean confirmed that he was in there. He held his knife and waited for the man to turn his head away from the door to open the office, he and Sam storming in first, the agents following.

As soon as Richards saw the knife in the hunters hands, he knew that his cover was blown. So he immediately jumped over his desk, pressing Sam against the wall.

Any doubts the agents had, were gone as the man jumped at an inhuman speed.

Dean ran and pushed the man off of his brother, pushing him against the other wall. He was going to punch him in the face, but got kicked back. But Ziva was already there, knife in hand, she cut its arm, making him scream in pain as the skin reacted to the silver.

He pushed her away with his left arm, sending her flying to the wall.

" I was going to ask how did you figured out so quickly it was me, but I guess I hade it coming for staying in one place for so long. Did you catch my reflexion somewhere? " He said, with a small smirk.

" Something like that. " Said Sam, as he punched the creature and trying to stab him, only for him to grab his arms. And kick Sam away to the other end of the room.

The creature grabbed a lamp and turned to face Dean, who was already running to him. He threw the lamp at the hunter, and was jumped by Ziva, both falling to the ground. He held her arm, keeping it from stabbing him in the heart.

" You know, I'm impressed. Everyone in this team seems to be so miserable, so many sad memories. " The creature taunted. " I would have loved to get you all. It's a shame I won't get to collect the one I already have. So much pain in him. I was ready to leave after these marines, but I could not resist him. I even gave him an extra strong shot, to make it stronger and faster. " He finally managed to kick Ziva from him. Standing up. " How does it feel knowing that even if you kill me, you won't be able to save him? That you didn't even noticed something was wrong? "

He ran towards the window, but Tony ran and pushed him in the bookshelf, breaking it. Several books falling in the floor.

" You know, you talk too much. " Said Dean, punching Richards face as Tony got out of the way for him to stab him.

The knife crossed the creature's heart. Richards falling limb, his face wiggling, as if it was made of a moving liquid.

" Is too late for him. " He managed to choke out, before finally dying.

 **I know it seems too rushed, but I want to focus on them getting inside Jimmy's mind.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Ducky and Abby walked down the hall to the door of Palmer's apartment. They rang the bell, but heard no answer. They knocked.

" Jimmy? " Yelled Abby at the door.

" Mr Palmer? "

" His car is outside. " Said Abby, concerned. " I'm trying his phone. "

She called and they could faintly hear the sound of a ringtone coming from the inside.

They looked at each other.

" Do you think Jimmy will mind me picking the lock on his door? " Asked Abby.

" Under the circumstances I say go ahead. "

She took her cellphone and started going through it.

" What are you doing Abigail? " Asked Ducky.

" Learning how to pick a lock on the internet. " She said simply.

" That won't be necessary my dear. " Said Ducky. " Do you have any bobbypins? "

She went through her purse and took out a few, giving them to him.

" I didn't know you could pick locks Ducky. "

" There's a lot of stories I haven't told you yet. " Said Ducky.

He took less than a minute to open the door.

The lights in the apartment were out.

" Jimmy? "

Ducky, using the light from the hallway, scanned the walls to find the light switch. He turned on the lights and they took the first look into Palmer's apartment.

The apartment was small, but it looked bigger for the lack of decoration. The door to the kitchen was to the right, with an opening that gave a view of the living room.

It had a round wooden table with four chairs. A moss-green couch with two seats. A tv on the other side of the living room. By the window, a table with a chair and a small bookcase. They walked towards the door on other side of the room, that led to the bedroom.

The bedroom didn't have the lights on, but the bathroom was lit and the light illuminated the figure leaning against the wall.

He was in sweat pants and shirtless, his legs were drowned to his chest, his hands pressing against his ears. He was muttering and sobbing.

" I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. " It was he said between sobs.

" Oh, Jimmy! "

Ducky and Abby ran towards him, kneeling down. Palmer jumped, a scared scream leaving his throat, trying to drag himself away from the figures that appeared all of a sudden.

" Mr Palmer, calm down, is us. " Said Ducky, in a calm voice, concealing his concern. Abby stood up and went to turn on the light.

She and Ducky concealed a surprised gasp when they saw the wounds covering their friend.

" Mr Palmer, what happened to you? " Asked Ducky, helping the young man to his feet, the scared man seeing who he was, allowing him to do it.

" Dr. Mallard? " He asked in a small voice. The tears still running down his face. " Wha... What are you doing here? And Abby? "

" We were worried about you Jimmy. " She said, walking towards him, who now was sitting on edge of the bed. She looked at the sheets and noticed that they were messy and had a big pool of blood in them. She gasped and covered her mouth.

Ducky followed her gaze and saw the blood too.

" Mr. Palmer, I'm going to look at your injuries, alright? I'll just go to my car and get my medical bag. " He said in a low voice, not wanting to scare the man further.

" There's no need Dr. Mallard. I got it. You don't have to bother with me. I can take care of them, it's nothing. " Palmer replied, in a small shaky voice, his arms hugging himself, as if he was trying to hide his injuries.

" Nonsense. I'm here to look after you. " He walked towards the door, looking at Abby for a moment.

The woman understood what he meant and went to sit next to the man.

" Don't you worry Jimmy, we're going to take care of you. Everything will be okay. " She said, in a uncharacteristic low and calm voice. Her eyes had unshed tears, but Jimmy needed her to be strong, he needed a calm presence.

She placed her hand on his shoulder, he flinched moving away, before noticing whose hands it was and staying still. She kept her hand on his shoulder, a silent reassurance.

When Ducky came back, she moved away to the living room, not wanting to make Palmer feel crowded.

Just as she entered the living room, her phone rang. It was Gibbs.

" Gibbs! " She answered, trying to keep her voice down. " Did it work? Is it dead? "

" Is dead Abbs. We doing the necessary to make it look like he disappeared. Did you guys hear from Palmer? "

" We're at his place Gibbs. And is not good. " She said, her voice cracking a bit. " He has injuries all over, and was crying and talking to himself. And he's scared. We need to help him, none of the other victims got this bad this fast. "

" The thing said it gave him an extra strong shot. "

" What do we do? " She asked panicking.

" We'll finish up things here and go straight there. Just hang on. " He said, hanging up.

She bit her lip and let the tears fall, hugging herself for a few minutes, before taking a deep breath cleaning the tears and mascara of her face and walking back to the bedroom door.

That's when Palmer started screaming.

" Stay away! " He screamed, looking at an empty corner of the room. He jumping up and running to a corner, pressing himself against it. One arm raised in front of himself. His expression terrified. " S...Stay away fr...from me! "

Palmer was so fast that the old doctor didn't have time to stop him. Ducky looked at his assistant.

" Mr Palmer, there's no one there. You are here with me and Abigail. You are safe. Who ever you're seeing, is not real. You're safe. "

" No! " Palmer screamed at the empty corner in the room. " Get away from them! " He looked at Ducky. " You have to run, he'll hurt you too. You get hurt for being here. Everyone gets hurt. "

" Jimmy, we're safe, you're safe! " Abby said, not being able to hold back the tears anymore. Taking a few steps forward.

" You have to go! They all get hurt, and I don't want you to get hurt too! " The tears were falling on his face and to the floor. " I can't lose anyone else. Please go! " He looked at Abby with pleading eyes. " You look so much like her, I can't lose her again. I can't fail again Abby. Please go. You'll be safe if you're away from me. "

" Mr Palmer " Said Ducky, in a soft tone. " Nothing is going to happen to us. I know you're confused right now, but let me assure you. We're safe, nothing is going to happen to us. "

Palmer was looking at him, shaking visibly. But then his attention was in the corner of the room again. He started sliding down the wall, sobbing.

" I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. "

He then looked at another corner of the room, to a point above Ducky's shoulder, and if it was possible, his expression got even more terrified. He froze in place, he was barely breathing.

" Y...you. " Was the only thing he managed to speak. And in a second he jumped out of the corner, over the bed, out of the room and the apartment.

It was so fast, the two other occupants of the room barely had time to react, he was already at the door when they started running after him. Abby picking her phone and calling McGee.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

He had to get away, he had to be faster, he had to run.

At every corner, every where he looked he was there. He could feel him reaching him.

He wasn't fast enough.

It didn't matter where he was going, only that he got there fast. He had to shake him of his trail.

His heart was beating so fast, it felt like he was about to implode. The tears in his face drying because of the wind.

He barely got hit by a car multiple times, but it didn't matter, because he could still see him. Always managing to catch up to him, always there. There was no escape.

He almost ran over an old woman, but when he looked a second time, he saw that it was him, in disguise.

After what it felt like an eternity, and at the same time, like only seconds after he started running, he stopped. He hid behind a dumpster in an alley. He was out of breath, he slid to the floor, not minding his injured back leaning against the wall.

He had lost him. He was sure of it. He was safe, he just had to be.

But was anywhere safe?

Everywhere he went, tragedy followed.

He sighed, grabbing his hair with his hands. His mind was going at a million miles per hour, a mess of thoughts, it was all too confusing. It was too much, he was tired, he needed to sleep. He just wanted a night of sleep without any dreams.

But he wasn't getting it, was he?

No, he wasn't.

These were his demons, couldn't escape them.

He hugged his legs, pressing his forehead against his knees. He took deep shuddering breaths, it didn't matter what he did, nothing seemed to help him stop being afraid.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

That's all he forced himself to think about. Not the nightmares, not the people after him. Not the fact that he was probably out of a job now, it was quite a scene Dr. Mallard and Abby saw. They knew that he was going crazy.

That's when he heard steps coming his way. He found him! He didn't run fast enough!

The alley didn't have an exit, he was cornered.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

McGee was working on the surveillance video, to be safe, he was entering a untracesable virus that would delete the entire night from the system. Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, Sam and Dean were getting rid of the body and physical evidence. He was wearing gloves while working on the system.

When he was done, and got up to leave, his cell rang.

" McGee! " It was Abby, she sounded like she was running, her voice panicking. " Jimmy is loose on the streets! He's hallucinating! "

He ran to the office, when he got there, the others looking at him.

" Do you know where he went? " He asked.

" We lost him, he's too fast. " She said. " Ducky is in his car, driving around. I'm on foot. But no sign of him so far. " She took a deep breath. " JIMMY! "

McGee had to get the phone away from his ear. It was so loud the others in the room heard the scream.

" Abby, just calm down. We'll help you find him. Just see if anyone in the street saw him. A man in that state is bound to be noticed. "

" Okay. I'll text you his address, see if you can find him in the cameras on the street. " She hung up.

" Boss, Palmer is hallucinating and is running loose in the street. "

" You and DiNozzo go help find him. We'll join you as soon as we're done. " Said Gibbs to McGee.

The two agents left the room and ran to the car. McGee checked the address Abby send to him. Tony was driving to Palmer's apartment, and McGee got his laptop and went through the video cameras in the streets near it.

Tony was no Gibbs or Ziva, but he was driving pretty fast.

" I got him. " Said Tim, finding a video of the shirtless barefoot man running aimlessly, looking around in despair. " Turn left Tony. "

They followed the directions the cameras gave them. Palmer had run for at least one hour before entering an alley, and not coming out.

The two agents parked in the street and walked in the alley, they saw that it didn't have an exit, so Palmer was still there.

They approached slowly, Tony in the front. The only place where someone could hide in the alley was behind the dumpster.

Tony looked over to the full-grown man sitting on the floor next to the dumpster. He was shaking, tear tracks on his face. He was cowering in the corner, his mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out. His eyes were wide, hands raised in front of himself, shielding him from the man standing.

" Jimmy, buddy. How about we get you home? "

It was like he didn't even register his words. Tony took a step closer, but Palmer just started dragging himself away.

" S...Stay a..away. " He whimpered. His voice sounded more like the voice of a child then the one of an adult. " Ple...please leave me alone. Please go. "

Tony knew of the effects of the monster, and he heard when it said that Palmer had received a heavier dose, but he was still shocked by the state of his friend.

" Jimmy, it's me Tony. " He said in a softer voice, kneeling to the ground. " Remember? Super Special Agent Tony DiNozzo? Huh, Autopsy Gremlin? "

His hands lowered slightly.

" T..Tony? " He said. " Tony. Is Tony. "

" The one and only. " He answered smiling to the man. " Now how about we get out of this smelly place? "

Palmer was looking at Tony's face, as if to make sure it was him. It was a full minute before he started moving and standing up. Tony slowly removed his jacket and gave it to him.

By then, McGee had already called Abby and Ducky and told them that they were taking Palmer home.

They got in the car and drove to the apartment. Tony making sure to drive carefully , so the man in the backseat wouldn't get even more jumpy.

* * *

When Tony and Tim got Palmer back to his apartment, Ducky was there. Gibbs had just received a call that Eric Mathews had died, so they were to collect the body and evidence. When Ducky finished treating Palmer's wounds he left to get the body, Tony staying with Palmer.

* * *

Tony spent the night sitting in a chair in Palmer's living room. Standing up and walking over to the door of the assistant ME's bedroom, checking the sleeping man.

Several times during the night Palmer would cry out in his sleep, tossing and turning, screaming disconnected words, tears in his eyes.

As the night passed his cries would get less and less intense, until he wasn't moving, only the slow rhythm of his breath. Tony was relieved that he was getting some rest.

As the hours passed, Tony started getting worried, Palmer hadn't moved at all in hours.

Tony walked in the bedroom and shook his shoulders slightly.

" Jimmy. Wake up. "

No response.

" Hey sleeping beauty, time to get your ass out of bed. " Grabbing him by both shoulders, shaking him faster and forcefully, raising his body from the mattress. The assistant ME's head shaking from side to side.

Still no response.

Tony dropped him back on the bed and picked his phone.

" 911, what's you emergency? "

" My friend is not waking up, I tried everything, but he doesn't wake up. "

Palmer was already in a coma.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The team was in Gibbs's place. An awful smell coming from the kitchen where the dreamroot was being made into tea. Tony walked in the house.

" Do I want to know why I had to collect Palmer's and the other guy's hair? The nurse that walked in when I was cutting Jimmy's hair thought that I was some sort of pervert. " The agent said, dropping two evidence bags with hair.

" I see that the nurse was very perceptive. " Said Ziva, smirking.

" Ha ha. " He made a disgusted face. " What is this smell? Smell like someone mixed public locker room smell with a bunch or rotten fruits. "

" That is what you're drinking. " Said Tim.

" Got the hair? " Asked Dean, getting out of the kitchen.

" Yeah. " Said Tony, pointing to the table. " What's with that anyway? "

" We need to drink a piece of the person whose dream we're going into. " Said Dean.

" We're drinking a piece of Autopsy Gremlin? " Said Tony, horrified.

" So, who is going inside Palmer's head? " Asked Abby. " Because I know I will. "

" Abby. " Started Gibbs.

" Gibbs, we're really close friends and I'm going to help him thru this. "

" And I am going aswell. " Said Ducky.

" Well, I am too. " Said Tony.

" We can't all go. " Said Gibbs. " There's another victim aswell and he has been in a coma for longer than Palmer. "

" Actually, boss. " Said Tony, a bit hesitant. Whatever he was about to say, it was not good. " Dr Ambrose said that Palmer is getting worse at a very fast pace. Faster than the other victim, Jeremy Wall. "

" I think we should focus on Jimmy first. " Said Abby. " How about we all go? More people to help will get things done faster. "

" Guys, going inside someone's head is not a walk in the park. Things can get intense. " Said Sam.

" This is Jimmy! We can handle intense. " Said Abby.

The two hunters looked at each other for a minute.

" Alright, so let's go. Grab a spot to lie down, a little of hair and a cup of tea. "

After drinking the tea, when the group came to, they were in the hallway that led to autopsy. The walls were cracked, the light bulbs hanging blinking. The floor was shaking like there was an earthquake.

" Alright, let's stay together. " Said Sam.

" Do you hear this? " Asked Ziva.

They stayed quiet, listening to a thousand small voices that were talking at the same time, seeming far away.

" Let's find him. " Said Gibbs.

They walked towards the autopsy room doors, the shaking getting stronger as they went, the voices slightly louder. The automatic doors didn't open, so Tony and Sam forced them open.

The autopsy was in worse shape than the hallway. The tables were turned over, the sink was broken in half and leaking water all over. The drawers were they kept the bodies were damaged aswell, only one still having the door in place. The walls had holes in it, but instead of bricks or cement, it led to absolute darkness.

It the middle of all this, there was Palmer.

He was running around trying in vain to stop the pieces of the wall from falling. He was wearing scrubs, his hair dishevelled, his glasses on the floor next to the group, but he didn't seem to mind.

" Stop. Stop. It can't fall apart. It can't fall apart. "

" Jimmy! " Tony and Abby screamed together.

The man stopped where he was holding the wall next to the broken sink. His eyes were wide.

" Guys? What's happening? " He asked. " You have to leave, everything is falling apart. "

" Mr Palmer we are here to help you. All this, is not real. We are inside your mind and you need to wake up. " Said Ducky, walking towards the man.

" What? What do you mean is not happening? Look around! Is all falling apart. It will all be destroyed. "

" So, leave with us. " Said Tim.

" I can't. "

" Why not? " Asked Sam.

Palmer seemed to notice the two hunters for the first time.

"Who are you? "

" I'm Sam, this is my brother Dean. We are here to help get out of here. "

" I can't leave, I can't let it be destroyed! "

" Why not Jimmy? " Asked Gibbs.

" Because! " He screamed in desperation, looking around. He noticed another piece of the wall falling and ran to the opposite wall holding the piece in place. " Doesn't matter what I do, it all just keep falling apart. I can't stop it. "

" Just leave it. Come with us Jimmy. " Said Abby, getting closer to him.

" Abby, you have to leave. " He said, the moment he started talking to her, the shaking on the floor getting stronger, the voices louder. " Is not safe. "

" I'm not leaving without you Jimmy, so came with me. "

" I CAN'T! " He screamed to her. " Is the only thing keeping it away. Keeping it all away. "

" Hey, Jimmy. " Said Dean, walking over and looking in his eyes. " All this. " He said motioning around the room. " Is all gone. There's no saving it. Right now, we are inside your melon. You're dying because you can't seem to want to face that this is gone. We're here to help you, we put ourselves in danger for you. Abby here. " He said, pointing to the woman, Palmer looking away from Dean to her. " She's only going to be safe away from here, if you lead the way out. You're scared, but suck it up. "

That moment one of the voices rang higher, making it self clear, an angry male voice.

 _Suck it up boy!_

Palmer looked around scared.

" Is too late, it's all gone. There no way to escape it. "

" We need to get out of here Jimmy. " Said Tony. " Just lead us to the exit. "

Palmer looked to the wall behind all of them, they turned and saw that the damage to the wall and to the freezer door were minimal compared to the rest of the room.

" I... I can't. I can't go in there. "

" Mr Palmer, you can't stay here. Whatever it is this place represents, is gone. You have to face to face whatever it is that is behind that door in order to survive. "

" But what if I don't want to survive after going through that again, Dr Mallard? " He said in a small voice. " I don't think I can do it again. "

" We're here to help you Jimmy, we'll walk you through it. And you wake up and everything will be back to normal. But you have to lead us out of here first. " Said Abby.

The man looked at the people around him, and to the room around them, collapsing, a big piece of the ceiling falling and almost hitting Abby, startling the woman.

That seemed to make him decide. Palmer ran to her, pulling her with him towards the least damaged side of the room.

" Just go through the door Palmer. " Said Gibbs. " We'll be right behind you. "

Palmer looked between them, he was sure that whatever sanity he once had was long gone. His mind was confused. But even if the people around him were not real, he could not let them here, he had to lead them away from his nightmares.

He looked at the door, letting go of Abby's arms he walked to the door, holding the knob.

The floor was shaking even harder now, it was hard for them to be standing. The voices still unintelligible, but so loud it hurt their ears.

Palmer opened the door, a dark barrier instead of the freezer. He walk into the darkness, the others following.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The darkness faded and the group was standing in the middle of a park. It was sunny a beautiful day.

" You're right Jimmy, this is terrifying. " Said Tony sarcastically.

That's when they noticed that Palmer wasn't with them.

" Where is Jimmy? " Asked Ziva. " He was right in front of us. "

" I don't see him. " Said Tim, they were all looking around, there wasn't a lot of people around, mostly children, and a few parents sitting in benches.

That's when they saw two children getting near, a boy that looked about 13 and a little girl who looked to be around 6 years old. She had a kite string in her hand, the red paper kite dragging around the floor.

" Is not flying! " The little girl said, pouty lips.

" That's because we don't have wind Millie. " He said, an amused expression. " And you're not running, you have to run. "

The little girl started running, but the kite still wouldn't fly.

The girl passed right next to the group of people, but didn't seem to notice them. Ducky was looking at the boy, a thoughtful expression on his face.

" Does that boy look familiar to any of you? " He asked.

The boy had curly dark hair, glasses, pale skin and green eyes. His clothes were old and worn, he looked to skinny to be healthy and his wrist had a bruise in it.

" Yeah, kind of. " Said Tony.

" Hey freak! "

They turned to see two kids, around the boy's age walking over to him.

" What do you want? " The boy asked, looking around.

" You know, just want to chat. Your results in the biology test really screwed me over Jimmy. "

They looked at the kid, this was a young Jimmy!

" Yeah, without your grade, the teacher would have gone easier on us. My mom was not happy with my grade. "

" If you had actually studied instead of just walking around trying to look tough, your grade would have been better. " Young Jimmy replied. " Now, I don't have time for this, I have to look after Millie. "

" Who the hell do you think you are talking to us like that, freak? " One of them asked.

The other didn't say anything just walked over and punched him in the face, making him fall to the ground.

" Hey, stop it! " Abby said, walking over to the kids.

The two bullies didn't notice her, but kid Jimmy looked over to her from his place on the floor. Only to look back down and protect his head with his arms when the two kids started kicking him.

" Stop it! " They heard the little girl screaming, leaving the kite where she was and running towards them.

Jimmy looked over to the girl running towards him.

" Stay back Millie! "

The world around them began fade away, the park turning to fog as it became the hallway from a school.

The group started looking around, looking for Palmer.

" How are we suppose to help him snap out of it, if he just continues disappearing? " Asked Tim.

" He looked at me Timmy. " Said Abby. " The others may be just memories, but he can see us. We just have to find him. "

They heard a sound coming from somewhere ahead, the all ran and made a curve to see another hallway.

Jimmy looked around 15 now, he had just been pushed and hit the lockers, his books on the floor, a taller and stronger teen in front of him. He punched him in the stomach and walked away.

" Jimmy! " Yelled Abby.

He looked towards them, a confused expression in his face.

" What are you doing here? " He looked around, the hallway was empty. He knelt down and picked up his books.

He stood up and started walking down the hallway.

" Palmer, wait up. " Said Tony, the group walking towards him, the teen stopping in his tracks and turning to them.

" Palmer? " He asked.

" Yes, your name. " Said Ziva.

Palmer looked confused.

" No... my name is Jimmy Smith. " He said, but then he looked at the floor with a pensive expression. " But that name is somehow familiar. Maybe I know him. If you're looking for him ask at the office. I have to get to the library, so I can't really help. " He said, looking up at them.

" Jimmy, look at this people. " Said Sam. " Do you know any of them? "

The teen cocked his head to the side a bit, confused, but he did it just the same. Sam and Dean stood to the side, only the NCIS team in front of him.

He looked at each of them, no recognition passing through his eyes. He stopped in Abby a little while longer, but shifted his gaze towards Ducky, in special the bow tie.

" Bow tie. " He said lowly to himself. He then closed his eyes. " I know someone who always wears bow ties. "

" Yes, Mr Palmer-" Started Ducky, but was interrupted by the teen.

" A duck wearing bow ties? How does that make sense? " He asked himself, apparently a bit frustrated about remembering such an absurd thing.

The NCIS team just seemed amused.

" I think you mean Ducky, lad. " Said Ducky. " That's how my friends call me, even though you insist by calling me by my last name. "

The teen was now looking only to the old ME.

" Mallard, I call you Dr. Mallard. " He said, memories coming back. " I work with you, taking care of the dead. "

" Yes, Jimmy. " Exclaimed Abby.

He looked at her.

" Abby. " He smiled as she jumped forward and crushed him with a hug.

When she let go, he looked at the others, recognizing them. Then, recent event caught up to him.

" Oh. You're still in my delusion. " He said, his expression sad. " Though I'm surprised to be imagining two unknown men. " He looked at Sam and Dean. " I though insanity would be about familiar faces. "

" You're not crazy Palmer. " Said Gibbs.

He laughed and shook his head. He then looked up.

" Is this the end? " He asked the ceiling. " Of all the ways I could have died already, that I could die. " He laughed again. And pointed at the ceiling once like it had a person in it. " This is brilliant, have my own mind be my demise. Decent slowly to insanity while still holding a shred of hope that I'm not crazy. Why do you hate me?! Just be done with it, why torture me?" He finished, shouting.

" You're not crazy Jimmy. You were poisoned. " Said Tim.

He looked back at the group.

" Poisoned? What sort of poison would do this? "

" It's not important right now. " Said Dean. " First we need to get out of here. you're stuck inside your own head and you need to find the way out. "

" What? "

" You are stuck in your own worse memories. " Said Sam. " Is a cycle and you need to break it. "

The hallway around them started going foggy and seeming to shift.

" Jimmy, focus on us. " Said Tony, passing by Abby and taking Palmer's arm. " Just focus on getting out of what appears to be memories of being bullied. "

" The only way is deeper. I don't want to go deeper. " When he said that he sounded like the scared teenager he appeared to be. " That's why I locked everything away. One thing always leads to another. "

" That's why we're here Autopsy Gremlin. " Said Tony. " We'll walk you through it. "

Palmer glanced at a door behind them, the only thing in the hallway that remained normal.

" If I go through the door I wake up? " He asked, Tony nodded. " Will you be there? "

" We will lad. " Answered Ducky.

Tony let go of his arm and Palmer started walking towards the door. He stopped in a jump when voices started. Several voices all screaming insults.

 _Geek! Freak! Worthless piece or trash! Foster freak! You're nothing! Geek! Freak! Do you get your clothes from the trash? You're a freak!_

Palmer dropped his books and got to his knees, screaming in pain. The other ran to him, Gibbs was the first to get to him, he tried to hold Palmer's arm, but the boy jerked away, and they all saw several bruises appearing on him. The teen started coughing water.

" What's happening? " Asked Abby, her eyes filling with tears.

" Looks like the results of years of bullying, only all at once. " Answered Tim.

" He has to get to the door. " Said Sam.

Ziva ran to the door and tried to opened it, but it wouldn't bulge.

" He has to do it himself! " She exclaimed.

Tony and Gibbs looked at each other for a moment and nodded.

" Jimmy, sorry but this is going to hurt." Tony said, then he and GIbbs helped him up, Palmer's arms around each of their necks.

The voices kept yelling at them, the hallway getting darker. Palmer somehow stopped coughing water for enough time to scream in pain, by now he looked like one giant bruise, his nose running blood nonstop. Then he started coughing water again.

They got to the door and Gibbs took his arm from around his neck and placed his hand on the doorknob.

" Come on Palmer , just turn it now and it will be all over. "

The hand slowly turned the knob, the moment the door was open they ran into the darkness waiting for them.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Their adrenaline was still running when the small apartment appeared around them. It seemed crowded with that many people around.

There was a man sleeping in the couch, several beer cans around him, an ash tray with several cigarette butts. The tv was on but the sound was getting lower.

That's when they saw a young Jimmy kneeling in front of it. He stood and walked to the kitchen. He looked to be around 13 years-old.

" Jimmy! " Said Tony and Abby together.

The boy looked at the man sleeping for a moment, then he shook his head and walked to the sink.

" Jimmy. " Asked Ducky, knowing that Palmer probably would need to be remembered of who they were again.

The boy didn't noticed them, just started washing the dishes. The others kept screaming his name, but he would only look around briefly.

" Why isn't he answering? " Asked Tim.

" He hears us, but is only faintly. He said the door lead to somewhere deeper, maybe the deeper he goes, the harder it is to wake up. " Answered Ducky.

" So what do we do? Just scream in his ear until he sees us? " Asked Tony.

That's when they heard the glass breaking, the sound waking up the man in the couch.

" Boy! " He growled. " What did you do now? " He stood and strode to the kitchen, swaying a bit from being drunk.

They recognized the voice as the one that screamed in the autopsy room when they first entered Palmer's mind.

Jimmy recoiled.

" I.. I'm sorry, it slipped. " He started apologizing, already shaking. " I'll clean it up right now. "

The man didn't even answer, just grabbed the child by the collar of his shirt and trew him against the counter, the sound of the boy hitting his head loud for everyone to see.

" Jimmy! " Yelled Abby, the tears now free-falling on her face.

The scene shifted, Jimmy now was kneeling on the floor, trying to clean a drawing in the hallway wall, the little girl they recognized as Millie next to him, teary eyed.

" I'm sorry Jimmy. " Said the little girl, her hair up in to pigtails.

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

" Hey, don't worry okay? " He said, drying a tear in her face. " I'll handle it. Nothing is going to happen to you. Just remember the rules and try not to do it again. Okay? "

She nodded.

They turned towards the front door when they hear the key in the lock.

" Go to our room and stay there under the bed, don't come out until I tell you is safe. "

" But- "

" Now Millie. " He said in more urgent tone, she ran inside a room and closed the door.

The same man walked in the apartment and saw the drawing on the wall and the kid next to it.

" Boy! "

Tony by instinct tried to stop the man, but he just passed right thru him. They could do nothing as the man kicked Jimmy to the ground, then again in his stomach.

They just started screaming his name. walking over to him, trying to get him to wake up.

" You stupid piece of trash. You always destroying things, always getting in the way. No wonder no one ever wanted you. You're worse than useless. "

Palmer screamed, then covered his mouth with his hand.

" What have I told you about screaming boy? " The man growled, and started removing his belt.

The NCIS team and two hunters were beyond furious, seeing Palmer being treated this way and as a child, seeing it in front of their eyes and knowing that they could do nothing about it. Seeing as he was accepting punishment for something he didn't even do, protecting the young girl.

The scene shifted and now they were seeing Jimmy lying face down on the floor of the living room, shirtless. The man standing next to him, hitting Jimmy in his bare back, several whipmarks bleeding on the child's back.

They immediately started yelling his name. Abby trew herself on top of the kid laying on the floor, not even thinking if he would listen or notice her.

That's when they heard beyond their loud callings of his name the shy voice.

" Who are you? What are you doing? "

They looked at him, the man was gone, but the blood on him remained, he turned on his back, wincing from the pain. She let go of him and looked at his face.

" Jimmy! " She exclaimed in joy, her face wet from the tears.

" Millie? How are you so grown up? What happened? " He asked.

The others stopped and looked at him.

" Millie? I'm Abby, remember me? Try to remember me Jimmy. " She said.

He looked around and saw the others.

" Who are you? "

" We are your team, Jimmy. " Said Ziva, giving him his shirt back, which he took and slowly put it back on.

" My team? I'm not in any team. "

" Maybe not now, but you will be. " Said Gibbs.

" Yes lad, you will be. This is all a dream. We're helping you find your way out. I'm Dr Mallard, remember? "

He looked at them, they could see his eyebrow furrowed but no recognition in his eyes.

" He doesn't like it when strangers are here. You have to leave. "

" Don't worry about him. " Said Sam, bending down and offering his hand for the boy to take. " We're here to help you. " The boy took the hand and slowly rose to his feet. " This here, is all a bad dream and were trying to get you out of here. "

" I can't! Millie needs me. " Jimmy exclaimed agitated. " I'm not leaving her! "

" She'll be fine. " Said Dean.

" Yeah Jimmy. " Said Tony getting down to the boy's eye level. " This is all a nightmare, Millie is not really here. We're here to help you wake up to the real world. When you're already a grown up and is our friend. You work with us. " He said with a smile, masking how angry he still was about what happened to his friend. " But not those two, you don't know them. " He said, pointing at Sam and Dean.

" If is not real, why does it hurt? " he asked. " It feels real. "

" This is a memory Jimmy. And sometimes memories make us feel pain. " Said Ducky. " Do you understand? "

" Yeah, I know. " He said, lowering his head and looking down at the floor.

One look and they all knew that there was a story behind that sentence.

" Try to remember us Jimmy, so that you can find your way out. " Said Abby.

" And you're not Millie? You look so much like her. " He asked looking up at her.

" No, I'm Abby. Abby Sciuto. "

" Sciuto, Abby. " He repeated, he then looked at her clothes and accessories, stopping in the collar on her neck for a long time. " You like hugging. " He said slowly.

" Yes! "

He looked around remembering all of them and the events that led him here.

" I'm not out yet. " He stated.

" No, but you will be, just find the door. " Said Dean.

" Do you think that will happen the same thing as before? " He asked looking at Ducky.

" I do not know for sure, but I believe it will. "

His eyes got teary.

" It will hurt too much. I won't be able to get to the door. "

" That's why we're here, we'll make sure that you get there. " Said Tony.

Jimmy looked around stopping when facing the front door of the apartment.

" I don't know why, but is that one. " He took a deep breath, a tear running down his face. Then he looked at Abby, leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

She immediately hugged him, a long and strong hug. When she let go, he took another deep breath and made the first steps towards the door. He barely gave two steps before the light's started to blink and the man's voice filled the apartment, several phrases all pulled together, like if there were several of him.

 _You're tainted boy. Everything you touch you destroy. Everyone that get's near to you suffer. You're will be just as big a monster as he is. You're nothing. Useless. Can't do nothing right. Boy! You're a disaster. You're nothing. Useless. You're tainted boy. You're cursed._

Jimmy screamed in pain, and went down, blood staining his gray shirt both in the front and the back. Several bruises appearing, cuts. Sam, who were closer immediately picked him up and ran to the door, ignoring the scream of pain for the child.

They ran fast, but it seemed that as closer they got to the door, the faster the injuries appeared.

He was spilling blood, his nose was bleeding, he was covered with bruises, his hair was getting wet with blood. That's when they heard the familiar snap of bones breaking.

Sam got to the door and Ziva placed his hand on the doorknob, Jimmy wasn't aware of anything but pain right now, so she placed her hand on top of his and opened the door. Sam getting in fist and the rest following.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

They were in front of an alley.

" Come on! More? How much more can the guy take? " Asked Tony, to anyone in particular. " Hey! We're in Baltimore. Didn't know Palmer lived here. "

" Let's find him. " Said Dean.

Tony looked inside the alley.

" This is familiar. "

" How familiar? " Asked Gibbs.

Tony didn't answer just walked in the alley, stopping and looking at a spot behind the dumpster.

" I remember this, I just never connected the dots. "

The others walked over and saw a Jimmy that looked about 17 years-old. He was sitting on the floor, holding a gun, he had the barrel touching the center of his forehead.

" Oh god! " Said Abby, covering her mouth with her hands.

" Jimmy. " Said Sam, kneeling on the floor in front of the teen.

" Dean, what happens if someone kills themselves inside their own head? " Asked Tim.

" I don't know, but I assume it would be the end of the line. "

" But he doesn't kill himself. " Said Tony.

" How do you know Tony? " Asked Gibbs.

" Because I hear him crying when I pass in front of the alley, I walk in and I stop him. "

" So where are you? " Asked Ziva.

" I don't know. " Tony said, looking down to the sobbing teen in front of them. " I was supposed to be here already. "

" Maybe he's trapped in the moment before your arrival Anthony. " Said Ducky. " Until the point that you helped him, this would be a terrible memory, but you saving him would not. "

While they were talking Sam and Abby were trying to get Jimmy's attention.

" You know Anthony, if you're in the original memory, you might get to him faster than any of us. "

Tony walked over to the teen, Sam and Abby standing up and getting out-of-the-way. He crouched, not too close to Jimmy and the gun.

" Hey, kid! " He said.

When he got no answer, he tried a little louder.

" Hey Kid! "

That got a response, Jimmy looked at him, a bit startled. But what really surprised them, was not how easy it was for Tony to get him to answer. What really surprised them was how Tony's clothes changed, from his usual suit, he was wearing a police uniform. Tony was surprised for a moment, but just kept going.

" Looks like you have a lot on your mind. Some deep thinking. "

" No. "

" No? Uh. So, you hold guns to your head for fun? "

" Just go away. "

" Nah, I think I'm staying right here. You look like a great guy, just going to chat with you. "

" Go away! " He yelled pressing the gun harder against his forehead.

" Can't do that Jimmy. "

The teen looked up, a suspicious look on his face.

" How do you know my name? "

" I know it sounds suspicious, especially since your real name was not the one you gave me the first time this happened. It was Jake, wasn't it? "

" What are you talking about? " Jimmy asked, gun lowering slightly.

" This is all a dream Jimmy. You're reliving a memory. And we're here to help you. "

" We? "

" This people behind me. " Said Tony pointing to the people behind him.

At first, Jimmy looked at him like he was crazy, but then his eyes got wide, he dropped his gun and pressed himself against the wall.

" How? Who? " He said, while Tony immediately got the gun away from him.

" This is a memory, Jimmy. " Said Dean. " Just remember who they are. " He and Sam standing a bit further away from the rest.

" I don't know them. Just leave me alone. " He said.

" Can't do that. " Said Tim. " You're dreaming and you need to wake up. "

" You work with us. At NCIS, you're an assistant ME. " Said Tony. " You're stuck on your memories. "

" ME? " The teen asked, still confused, but his face showing a bit of disappointment. " I work around dead people? "

Ducky chuckled.

" Yes, you do lad. And you are really good at your job. "

He looked at Tony, trying to remember who they were.

" And I work with you? "

" Yeah Autopsy Gremlin. You're our friend too. "

" Autopsy Gremlin. " He muttered to himself. " I heard that before. "

" Yeah, I call you that. "

" Tony, your name is Tony DiNozzo. " He said, slowly.

And like the other times he looked around remembering the things that happened and the people he knew.

He then tilted his head down and grabbed his hair with both hands.

" God! I'm still in here. " He looked at them. He sighed and let go of his hair, looking around, his gaze stopped in a door thrown in a pile of trash. " I suppose I should get this done with. "

He stood and started walking towards the door. This time there were no injuries, but the voices were there. But instead of being the voices of other people it was Jimmy's voice.

 _You destroy the lives of everyone that you care about. All that get near you, die. As long as you live people will get hurt for no better reason than knowing you._

Jimmy stopped in his tracks.

 _He was right, you're cursed. He was the only one honest enough to say it to your face. You're tainted. Is no surprise really, from the very beginning you were set to be a monster. And you are a monster, just because you were not the one to kill them, doesn't mean is not your fault._

Dean just strode to him and started pushing Palmer towards the door.

 _You deserve to die. No, better yet, you owe to the rest of the world to die. To spare humanity of your filth. You're an infection, your death is the antibiotics._

" That's right. " Jimmy said lowly. Tears running down his face, standing in front of the door, but not reaching out to it. " I'm only good to let people die. "

" No, no, no, no. " Said Abby, walking over to him and grabbing his shoulder, turning his face to her. " Don't you start with this. Don't you ever say that. Not ever again. " The tears running down her face.

" We are here to help you Mr Palmer. You came this far. You're not going to give up now, are you? " Said Ducky getting closer. " How about us? We're your friends. And your mother? "

 _You only cause pain. she'll be better off without you, so will your friends. You got lucky so far, but how long until one of them get's hurt._

" Oh Shut Up! " Yelled Tony looking up.

" Look Jimmy. " Said Sam. " You're not in your right mind right now, so you can't afford to be making any extreme decisions. So, we'll make them for you. And we say, open the door. "

 _It will be easier to stay. You're weak. Can you honestly say that you'll survive having to bury all this again? You know you'll never be able to. It was a miracle you did the first time. And look how well that worked. It just came all back again._

The light started to fade, the street disappearing, only the alley remaining.

 _You're not strong enough. Just stay and it will be all over. You'll be able to rest. A peaceful death. It was more that they got. More that she got. It's a blessing, more than you deserve._

Dean grabbed his hand and placed it on the doorknob, he tried to open it, but it wouldn't move one inch.

" Come on man! " He said. " Look, no one knows more about living in guilt and loosing people than me and Sam okay? But trust me, you will do a lot more damage to your friends if you die. If you care about them, you get out of this alive. "

" But he's, I'm... it's right. I just want this to be over. Without anyone getting hurt. " He said, his voice defeated, dead.

" They will forever live in guilt if you go like this. " Said Sam. " You have to go through this in order to protect them. If you don't, they'll die with you in here. "

" Please Jimmy! Don't leave us! " Sobbed Abby, Jimmy looking at her with compassionate eyes.

" If you give up, you'll only be punishing them, you'll be taking the easy way out. They are the ones that are going to have to live without you. Thinking that they couldn't save you. Blaming themselves for this. Do you really wish this pain for them? Or are you willing to face what you have to in order to protect them? " Said Dean, his eyes hard.

Palmer looked at Dean then at Sam, thinking about what they said. The darkness growing around them.

He turned the knob, and stepped in the dark hole in front of him, the team following.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

They appeared in the living room of a house. It looked like a regular suburban two-story house. The sun was shining outside.

They started looking around.

" Look at this. " Said Ziva, looking at a wall filled with pictures.

They approached and saw several pictures of a couple and a teenage boy. In none of them the boy was younger than 16.

" Aww, look at Jimmy all happy. " Said Abby.

They heard a knock on the door, a middle-aged woman climbed down the stairs and opened it.

Ziva who was still looking up, saw Jimmy standing on the top of the stairs.

" There he is. "

" Excuse me, are you Barbara Palmer? " They heard the police officer at the door.

" I am. "

" I'm officer Geralds. Are you the wife of Jackson Palmer? "

" I am. Why? Is everything okay? "

" I'm sorry to inform you Ms Palmer, but your husband was involved in a car accident earlier today. He didn't make it. "

The woman stumbled backwards.

" No. No, please no. "

They saw Jimmy holding the handrail and lowering himself to sit on the steps. Ducky and Tony climbed up the stairs, calling out for Jimmy.

Behind them, the woman had invited the officer in and sat with him in the living room.

" I don't know what he was doing there, he had no reason to go to that part of town. " She was talking to him. Gibbs and Sam were observing the talk.

" We found two concert tickets in his wallet, the receipt showed they were purchased today. "

The woman closed his eyes and ran her hand through her short blond hair.

" Jimmy had been talking about this band nonstop for a week now. " She said, in the stairs, Jimmy looked towards the living room, a heart-broken expression on his face. " Jack probably wanted to surprise him. He had been dropping hints about his birthday coming up. "

The scene shifted and they were again the dirty apartment where they saw Jimmy being physically abused by the man.

He was helping Millie put on her shoes. The little girl so excited she was barely falling out of the chair.

" Come on Jimmy! "

" I'm almost done. " He said. " Aaaannd done! "

She stood fast and ran to the door, opening and leaving. Jimmy walked over to a closed and took a backpack that he swung over his shoulder.

" Millie! Wait for me! " He said leaving the apartment.

They followed him in a badly illuminated hallway and down two sets of stairs. Millie was jumping up and down in place. And seeing her, they could see how similar to Abby she was, both physically and her energetic personality.

" I told you to wait for me Millie. "

" But you're like so slow. " She whined.

He opened the front door and they climbed down the five steps in front of the building. There was an old woman climbing up, she was carrying a lot of bags.

" Millie just wait there. " Said Jimmy, turning to the woman. " Hey. Ms Manning, want some help? "

" Oh, could you? Just so that I can open the door. " She said, passing a few of the bags to him. Jimmy had his back to the street, so he didn't see that Millie didn't actually listen to him when he said to wait.

Ducky was looking at the little girl.

" Oh no! " He said, the others turned their heads to see what he was looking at. Millie running cross the street, no paying attention to the car coming at high-speed.

It was when he heard the breaks and the sound of the impact that Jimmy turned to the street.

" MILLIE! " He screamed, dropping everything he had on the floor, running towards the girl lying on the floor.

They followed, already calling out to him.

He knelt next to the bleeding little girl on the floor, while the driver of the car simply drove around them and fled the scene.

" No, no, no, no, no, no, no. " He was crying, the old woman from the building running to a store near, yelling for help. " Please, don't do this to me. Wake up Millie. Wake up. I'm sorry I wasn't looking, but just wake up for me. "

The boy was crying, tears free-falling on the face of the little girl, that wasn't moving.

" Millie. Millie. Millie! "

They kept calling out to him, while he called out to the girl lying on the street, already dead, shaking her shoulders.

" Millie? Please! "

" Please. Please. Please. " He whispered over and over again.

Until he stopped, caressing her hair in a loving manner, he was sobbing, his hands shaking. He then picked her up, hugging her tightly and screamed. A heart breaking, painful scream. He was still screaming and crying, hugging her, when the ambulance arrived. The two men that climbed out of the vehicle had to forcefully separate them.

They kept calling out to him, for what it felt like forever, until he was sitting on the steps of his building, staring blankly to the spot where Millie had died.

Their calling didn't work, touching his arms, hugging him, didn't work. So, Ziva sat next to him, put her arm around his shoulders, leaned towards him and started saying something in Hebrew, it sounded like a prayer.

Two minutes of this, and he reacted. Blinking fast and looking around as if he had just woken up. He finally saw them and turned his face to Ziva, dragging himself a bit away from her.

" Hello Jimmy. " She said.

" Do I know you? "

" Yes, we know each other. " She answered, taking her arm from his shoulder. " We are here to help you. You are having a nightmare, you are trapped inside your mind and you need to remember who we are in order to find the way home. "

He looked around at them.

" This is a dream, right? " He asked, the sad voice filled with hope.

" It is. But unfortunately this does not mean that it didn't happen. " Said Ducky kneeling on the floor in front of him. " Just take a deep breath and look at us, try to remember who we are. We work together and we are your friends. "

He looked at them, no recognition passing through his eyes. His gaze stopped in Abby for a moment, his eyes tearing up again.

" Who are you? "

" I'm Abby, Abby Sciuto. "

" You look just like her. "

He looked back at Ducky, observing him intently.

" You talk to the dead. " He said. " Dr. Mallard. " And once again he remembered everything he had to remember.

He groaned and rested his head on his hands.

" I'm starting to have a headache. " He groaned. " I'm exhausted. "

" Just find the door Jimmy. It's time we get out of here. " Said Tony.

Palmer looked around and stopped looking at the door of his building.

" Can I ask you something? " He asked them.

" What is it? " Asked Dean.

" There's only one more stage. And I'll be really scared, you'll need to be patient with me. "

They looked at each other, everything they had seen so far had been awful, and there was more?

" Of course Palmer. " Said Gibbs.

Then Jimmy stood and started climbing up the stairs.

 _Your fault. This is all your fault. She's gone because you weren't paying attention. You promised to always take care of her, and you broke that promise. She counted on you to help her, to keep her safe. And you failed her. It should have been you._

 _He died because you were being selfish. He gave you a home and in return, you took his life. And for what? A stupid concert. You thought of nothing but yourself._

A little girl appeared in front of the door, blocking their way. She had tears in her eyes and the injuries that caused her death. Jimmy stopped, tears filling his eyes.

 _You promised._

 _You promised._

 _You said you'll always take care of me._

" I'm so sorry. " He said.

 _Stay with me. I'm scared. I don't want to be alone._

The little girl was crying.

" Jimmy, she's gone. This is just a trick. " Said Dean, walking over to Jimmy and placing a hand on his shoulder.

 _I need you. Please stay with me. You promised to stay with me. I'll be all alone._

" I can't you're not really here. " He said, the tears were falling on his face, he closed his eyes. " You're not really here. You're not here. "

He took a deep shuddering breath and finished climbing the steps and placed his hands on her shoulders, then hugging her. The people behind him were worried that he was giving up. But then he released the hug.

" I never forgot you. You are the reason I do what I do. " He said.

Then he pushed her out-of-the-way, she vanished like if she was made of smoke.

His crying intensified, but he reached for the door and opened it and they stepped in.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The room around them was out of focus. It seem like it was all made of smoke, not many details to anything, just color and general shape. Some were easier to identify, like the chairs, table and doors.

It was not big, it looked like a cabin. The kitchen, dining room and living room had no walls separating them. It was dark brown, but the exact color kept changing. It didn't have many furniture.

A small boy about four-years-old was laying belly down on the dining table, drawing, though they couldn't see what. It was Palmer. He was humming a song, not one any of them knew.

" I'm assuming that everything is so blurry because of how young he was. " Thought Ducky out loud.

" Great, he's going to freak out when he sees us. " Said Dean.

A woman walked into the room, like Palmer, she was perfectly visible and in focus. She had her long dirty blond hair tied in a braid, her eyes were green like Palmer's, her skin tanned from the sun. Her face was delicate and her cupid bow's lips were forming a smile. Her white loose dress contrasting with the brown heavy boots.

" Jimmy. " She called. " What have I told you about laying on the table? " Her tone was soft and well-humoured.

" Do it! " Replied the boy, smiling and looking up at her.

" Is that so? " She asked walking over to him , with her arms folded in front of her chest and a mock suspicious and a small smile. " I thought that was about sleeping late. "

" That too. " He said, a big smile on his face. " And eating candy! "

The ones watching the scene couldn't help the smile at the scene. Thought they were preparing for something horrible.

" You're lucky you're so cute. " Said the woman, messing with his hair, he giggled. " Now, off the table. You can get hurt. "

The boy made a face, but obeyed anyway, slowly climbing down the tall table under the woman's, who they assumed was his mother, watchful gaze.

" Awww! " Exclaimed Abby, tears on her eyes from the last things they saw and for knowing something was going to destroy that seemingly happy memory.

" Mommy! Put it on the fridge! " He exclaimed as he reached the floor, holding a drawing up.

She took the drawing as she picked him up, he hugging her neck as she looked at the drawing at her other hand.

" Let's see if it's fridge material. " She said.

" It is! It is! " Exclaimed the boy.

" It's great honey! " She said in a loving voice kissing his head. " Another duck. "

" Yep! " He exclaimed.

" Don't you want to draw anything else- "

" Nope! Duckies! " He said, with a head shake.

" I'll never understand your obsession with ducks. " She said, moving to the fridge and holding the drawing against it as he picked a magnet and put it in place.

" Aww! " Exclaimed Abby again, now hugging Ducky in a sideways hug.

Then they heard a loud noise, it sounded like a car, but it was distorted, louder. It almost sounder like a roar.

The woman turned fast, looking at the door.

" ANNA! " Came a loud deep voice. It seemed to shake the cabin around them. " I know you're here! "

The woman held her son tighter. Her beautiful face showing a growing panic. She started looking around, until she knelt and place Jimmy on the cabinet right under the sink.

" Stay here. " She said, in a scared voice. " And don't make a sound. Understand? "

They couldn't see the boy, but she closed the door.

Immediately the world around them went dark.

" Woah, what happen? " Asked Tony, when the dark didn't dissipate.

" I think this is a memory. " Said Sam. " If he was in the dark, this would be his memory. "

There were strange sounds coming from all around them, steps, and a loud sound of wood breaking. But they were all distorted, louder than they would be in reality. And voices, screaming and yelling.

" His memories are affected by how mature he was . " Said Tim. " Jimmy? " He called out.

" Don't do that McGee! " Said Abby, turning her head to where she thought he was, it was so dark they couldn't know for sure. " A strange man calling out to him in the dark, you'll freak him out. "

" So, how do we do this? " Asked Tony.

A small crack of light opened. Somehow they were all standing inside the miniscule cupboard. Jimmy was looking through the small opening, kneeling inside the room. His gaze wide and scared as he saw the scene that happened outside.

A man held Jimmy's mother by the neck. And he looked almost exactly alike adult Palmer, but heavier. His light brown eyes were wide and his face contorted in an expression of pure hate and anger that the team never saw on their friend's and coworker's face.

Then it came the first slap. And the next. And a punch.

By instinct, Abby tried to block Jimmy's eyes, but her hands passed right through him. The other's had to hold themselves not to run to the woman's rescue.

" You bitch! "

" No, please stop! "

" You'll pay for leaving me! "

" Help! "

The woman was on the floor, and Palmer didn't move his eyes away. Tears fell in a silent cry. They could hear his mother screaming for help louder and louder. The man cursing at her, calling her names.

" WHERE IS HE? " The man asked. " Where is my son?! "

The woman was barely awake at the moment. The man huffed and stood from where he was sitting on top of her. Palmer was shaking, tears rolling.

The man came back with a knife. He sat on top of her again and raised his hand.

The woman begged for help again. They were sure it was a reflex, there was no one around that could do anything.

The knife came down. The man stood and left the room.

" James! " He called from somewhere out of sight.

Palmer finished opening the door of the cabinet. Suddenly the group was standing in the middle of the kitchen. Jimmy's mother breathing hard and making choking sounds as she bleed away. The knife on her chest. The little boy dragging himself on his hands and knees.

" Mommy? " He asked, his voice choking. The man's voice could still be heard somewhere in the cabin.

The woman turned her wounded face to him.

" Run. "

" ... mommy... " His voice was low and he was beginning to sob.

She moved her hand to him, on top of his shoulder.

" Run. Get help. " Her voice had a wet sound from her choking on her own blood.

" but-"

" Run! " She said with more force, pushing him away with all the strength she had left.

He watched her for a moment, then stood up and ran away. Out of the cabin.

The scene shifted, they were in the middle of a forest, one old truck parked and a gray car in front of a cabin. A small child coming out of it. He didn't even look around, just ran straight into the forest. His bare feet crushing the twigs and leaves.

The forest was as foggy as the room they were before. Even being daytime, it had shadows all around. The sounds of the leaves and twigs breaking under Jimmy's tiny feet, his breath and sobbing. The sounds of insects around them was too loud to be natural. Hard rays of light would blind them, followed by deep shadows. The was a beating sound too, loud. It took them a minute to realize it was the little boy's heart.

Even if they didn't run after him they somehow they were never far behind him.

He kept looking around, jumping at every sound. Some shadows had the general appearance of a human.

" Who will talk to him? " Asked Tim.

" He just saw a man kill his mother. So a woman. " Said Sam.

" I say Ziva. " Said Tony.

" Why not me? " Asked Abby.

" Nothing against you Abby is just that you're so... what's the word? " Said Tony.

" Intense. " Said Tim.

" Yeah, intense. " Said Tony.

" Let's just get this over with. " Said Dean.

Ziva got near Jimmy, calling his name, but he didn't noticed her.

Around them night fell, but little Jimmy didn't stop, though now he wasn't running anymore, but walking, struggling to take each step.

When he stopped, he practically dropped to the floor of the forest, leaning against a tree trunk. His feet filled with open wounds, bleeding and filled with dirt and small pieces of leaves and wood. He was crying and looking around, pressing himself against the tree at every sound he heard.

Ziva knelt in front of him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

" James? " She asked, shaking his shoulder slightly.

He showed no reaction.

She asked again.

And again.

The shadows around them moved.

Finally she asked one more time.

The child jumped, and started to drag himself away from her.

" That's okay. I am not going to hurt you. " She said in a low voice. " I am an officer. I am a federal agent, do you know what it means? "

The child didn't answer, sitting on the floor, shaking, looking down.

" That is a special kind of police officer. " He looked at her for a second, before looking down again. " I am here to help. Aren't you supposed to be looking for help? "

He kept looking around, jumping at the slightness of sounds. At least he still hadn't seen the others, so he wasn't too scared. She kept talking to him, it took several minutes, but she finally got an answer.

" We need help. " He said, slowly.

" That's what I am here for. " She said, sitting on the forest floor in front of him. " I just need you to do something for me. "

He looked at her for a moment than back down.

" Look at me and remember who I am. " She said. " My name is Ziva David and we know each other. I need you to look at me and remember who I am. "

He kept glancing at her, but looking back down. It took a while, but he managed to look at her, and keep his gaze there.

It was all about patience, they had to wait for him not to be afraid of looking at her, then for the small child to remember who she was.

From time to time he would repeat her name slowly.

" I don't know. " He said, starting to cry harder.

" Don't worry, take your time. " She said, slowly pushing her badge towards him. He took a while but he eventually took it.

He held it in his small hands, looking at it, tracing the NCIS letters. He looked from it to Ziva.

It was a slow process, and the others were already sitting on the floor of the creepy forest.

" You cook. " He said lowly. " Ziva David. I work with you. "

" Yes. " She said.

He looked around, and saw the others, he got scared for a second, but since he had already remembered Ziva, he didn't have a hard time remembering the others and why they were all here.

" Thanks. " He said, in an exhausted voice. " For helping me. "

" Ready to get out of here? " Asked Sam, they all standing up.

" Yes. " He said, standing up and wincing slightly from the pain on his feet.

He looked around, looking for a door, but couldn't find one.

" I can't see a door. " He said, his small four-year old face getting a worried expression.

" Maybe we go back, there's a door back there. " Said Dean.

" B..But I don't know the way back! " Jimmy stuttered. " And I remember that I reached a camp on the second day. I remember climbing on the back of the truck! It must be close, and the tend and the car had doors, or kind of doors. "

It was clear to the other that he was afraid to go back.

" And if you try to remember the camp? " Said Tim. " This is your mind, you must have some control. "

The small child closed his eyes, eyebrows furrowed. The shadows started moving around them, the tree moving, the light changing. When he opened his eyes, he started looking around, until he settled in a direction.

" There, there's something there. " He said, showing the others a blue spot in the horizon.

" Let's go. " Said Dean, they all starting to walk towards it.

Little kid Jimmy took two painful steps before two hands were lifting him from the ground.

" We would like to get there today. " Said Gibbs, an embarrassed little kid with a red face on his arms.

Once they arrived at the camp site, Jimmy on the floor again. He looked at the tend and gave a small smile.

" There's the exit. " He said, a small smile in the still embarrassed face.

The child took one step forward and their surroundings got darker, shapes getting harder to distinct. And in front of the small child, his father with his face in contorted in anger. The child took a step back, before bumping into Gibbs legs, falling on his backside.

 _You know the rules. You can't go anywhere._

The voice was not coming out of the man, but from around them.

 _You have to remember your place. You're mine, both of you. Both mine._

 _You're my son, you'll end up just like me._

Jimmy stood hastily, starting to run away, only to be stopped by Gibbs and Tony.

 _You failed her. You had a mission, she asked for help. You were supposed to help her. You never did._

 _You never wished to leave._

 _Just admit, you wish you could go back, and stay inside that room if you could. Now you can. With her._

" Jimmy! " Called Tony, trying to get the attention of the panicking child. " Calm down! Just go through the door! Jimmy! Jimmy! "

At the third time he called, the child stopped fighting and looked at him. Gibbs took that moment to pick him up and walk to the tend, placing his hand on the zipper.

" Just open the door, Jimmy. " Said Abby.

The child had fresh tears running down his face. Remembering that it was not real. His hand was shaking while he started to pull the zipper open. Abby just placed her hand on top of his and helped him.

 _You failed your mission. You never got her help._

 _She's all alone there. You'll never see her again. You'll never see her again._

The second the tend was open, Gibbs pushed Jimmy in the darkness, they all following.

That moment, somewhere in Bethesda, a coma patient woke up.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The first time Palmer woke up, a swarm of nurses and doctors surrounded him. Examining everything they could think of. After a while, his exhaustion won and he fell asleep again.

The second time he woke up, he was not alone in the opened his eyes to see Dr Mallard and Abby dozing off in two chairs by the bed.

He couldn't exactly remember what he was dreaming about, but he remembered that the team was there. And odd dream that they were helping him go through his worst memories.

He looked at the ceiling, taking the biggest breath his exhausted body allowed.

The days earlier to him falling into a coma were terrible, he remembered felling afraid all the time, and getting more and more tired, like he was being drained of all his energy. But now, he was no longer afraid. Of course remembering all those things had not been easy. It will probably take him a really long time to find a way to push it all back to the box where he had locked everything once before. He may need to ask for vacation time.

" Jimmy! "

He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the two other occupants of the room. Abby already crushing him in a big hug.

" We were so worried! Then we saw all those horrible things. And I thought you were going to give up!-"

" Abigail, maybe you should let the lad breathe. " He heard Ducky say.

She let go of him and stood up, letting him see Ducky who was looking at his assistant with a smile.

" Quite a scare you gave us. " The old ME said.

" Dr Mallard, Abby. " He said, grimacing from the dry throat. Immediately a cup with water was given to him by Ducky. He took a few sips before returning it. " I'm afraid my mind is a bit hazy. What exactly happened to me? "

His boss hesitated for a moment before talking.

" What do you remember? "

He tensed, if he said what he remembered, they might think he lost his mind. But, he had vague memories of Abby and Ducky in his apartment, so maybe they already thought that.

" You can tell us Jimmy. " Said Abby.

He took a deep breath.

" I...I'm not really sure. Is all really confusing. " He started, not looking at them. " I remember being afraid, all the time. Like it wouldn't go away. And tired, all the time, like I was being drained. And I couldn't sleep well. I kept having nightmares and..." He trailed off.

" Hallucinations? " Asked Ducky.

" Yes. " He answered in a low voice. " I lost my mind. I'm finally crazy. " He muttered to himself.

" You are not crazy, Mr Palmer. " Ducky said in a definite tone. " Look at me. " Palmer looked at him. " You are not crazy, whatever it is you remember, there is an explanation for it. And trust me, we will believe it. "

" Maybe we should just tell him Ducky. " Abby said, looking at the ME.

" Tell me what? "

The ME looked at the goth forensic scientist and nodded.

" Is a long story my boy. "

So, Palmer listened while Ducky told with all the details of the nightmare he had just woken up from, back to him.

Once they were done, he had wide eyes. And was looking at the wall instead of them.

" And you woke up! " Exclaimed Abby. " Then Tony, Gibbs, Sam and Dean did the same thing with the other victim, so that he could wake up too! "

Palmer felt a bit guilty, because the well-being of the other man was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

The team had been inside his mind. His MIND. They saved him, but it didn't stopped him for feeling violated.

" I am so sorry, but can I... please... be alone? " He asked, hesitant.

Abby looked disappointed and sad. But Ducky looked like he expected it.

" Of course. " He said, standing up and gently pulling Abby with him. " You have your rest. "

Palmer took a deep breath once the door was closed.

" It will all be different now. " He said to himself.

It had been two weeks after he had left the hospital. They kept him there for two more days, trying to make sure that he was okay. For those two days someone from the team was always stopping by. Those were awkward visits. For them and for Palmer. Which was not surprising, what was the social protocol for after you walk inside someone's memory? They also were treating him with ' kiddy gloves '.

He needed some time alone. Surprisingly, knowing that the supernatural was real was not the worst part. Because now, the whole team knew of his past. They walked through his memories. He never wanted them to know.

The moment he was allowed to leave the hospital, he asked for a vacation. He grabbed a few clothes on his place, got in his car and drove away.

The first time his adoptive mother called, he answered, and he told her that he would be off the grid for a while. He felt guilty for not answering the various calls and texts from the team, but he couldn't handle talking to them at the moment.

He drove until he reached Hanover, he checked in the first motel he saw. And left his car in the parking lot while he walked around without an actual direction. When he saw a diner, he stopped and ate. When he got tired, he walked back to the motel.

The whole time that he was there, this is what he did, he walked. When he was hungry, he ate, when he was tired, he slept. But besides that, he walked.

He tried not to think about his memories, but it was all he though about. Sometimes he felt tears sliding down his face, more than once he received weird looks on the street.

He was sitting in a park bench, enjoying the breeze when someone sat next to him. He looked to the side to see Tony grinning at him. Wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

" Hey there! Surprised to see me? "

" Hey Tony. " He said with a small smile. " How did you know where I was? "

" I am the senior field agent for the MCRT from NCIS team, Autopsy Gremlin. " He said, with a smug smile. " Finding people is what I do. "

" Abby tracked my phone, didn't she? "

" Yes, she did. " He answered, still smiling. " So, what have you been up to? "

" Walking, a lot of it. " Palmer answered, leaning back on the bench. " I...I'm sorry about not answering the phone, but I needed to digest all of it, you know? "

" No worries my friend. " Said Tony, mirroring his movement, both looking forward. " This whole 'supernatural is real' thing, it's hard to wrap one's mind around it. "

" Yeah, but... "

" That was not what had you driving all the way here. "

" No. "

" Why you kept it from us? " Tony asked, his voice serious. " Why you never told me? "

He didn't answer, and Tony was not done asking questions.

" We are your friends! I am your friend! You said I could always come to you if I needed. How could you have not told us about your adoptive parents? About the abuse you suffered? About your mother? How could you not tell me that we had met each other before? That you were that kid? That I stopped you from killing yourself? " He was getting angrier.

" I couldn't okay?! " Palmer yelled.

Tony stopped talking.

" I just couldn't. " Palmer leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands on his hair, gripping it. " I wanted to escape it all. " He whispered. " When people know about it, they look at me different. Every time I look at them, I can see in their eyes, that they are thinking about it. And it changes me in their eyes, I become a victim, forever seen as one. "

Tony opened his mouth to say something, but Jimmy just kept talking.

" And I don't deserve people's pity. I failed. " He said, letting go of his hair and looked up from the floor, staring straight ahead. " Repeatedly. "

All he felt was the hand making contact with the back of his head.

" Ow! "

" You did not fail! " Said Tony, glaring at the man who was looking at him. " I was inside your head and all I saw was a kid. A child that managed to survive more than most people are going to see in an entire life time. You were a child Jimmy! You did all you could! None of it was your fault! "

Jimmy was looking at him, his eyes sad.

" So why do I feel so guilty? " He asked, voice almost cracking from emotion.

Tony smirked.

" That's the problem of trying to get through things alone. No one to tell you you're being an idiot and doing it wrong. " He said, standing up. " Don't worry Autopsy Gremlin, I got your back. I'll let you know when you're steering your boat the wrong way. " He stretched his hand, waiting for Palmer to hold it, then he pulled the man to his feet. " Vacation's over Palmer. Time for you to go home. But first, where in this place can we get a decent pizza? "


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

When Palmer walked in the Autopsy room that morning, despite the familiar and comforting sound of the door's hiss, he was nervous. He knew the team cared for him, but some things could not be unseen. And he knew that the recent events had forever changed him in their eyes. Would they see him as damaged?

" Good morning Mr Palmer. " Greeted Ducky. " I have to say is very good to have you back, lad. It has not been the same without you. " Said the ME, walking towards his assistant and placing a hand on his shoulder. " I take that the time away has done you well? "

" Yes it has, Dr. " Said Palmer. " But is good to be back to work. "

" Ah yes, the wonders of an occupied mind. " Said the Me, walking towards the sink to wash his hands. " Shall we get to it, Mr Palmer? "

" Yes, Dr. " He answered, happy that the older man was acting normal towards him.

He heard the sound of the elevator arriving and heavy boots on the floor.

" JIMMYYYYYY! "

He turned just in time to almost be tackled to the ground by an Abby-hug.

" You're back! " She said happy. " You're here early! Ihadthiswholethingplannedwithballonsandasign-"

She was speaking so fast he couldn't understand what she was saying. She must have taken at least three Caff-Pows. He smiled fondly at her.

" I missed you too, Abby. "

She stopped her rant and hugged him again.

" I'll prepare the surprise for when you get here from lunch. " She said, leaving the autopsy room. " Be ready! "

" That poor girl was worried about you. " Said Ducky. " We all were. "

" I needed a time Dr. " He said. " But I'm ready to go back to work. "

" Good, because we have guests. " Said the older man.

Gibbs walked into the autopsy room, they were working on a case and Ducky was working on a psychological profile. When he walked in he saw Palmer, headphones on, diligently cleaning the tools that were on the table, his back to the silver-haired agent. After his return to work, he wasn't the same happy man they knew, he didn't seem to need professional help. But it was clear he was still pretty shaken by all of it.

Gibbs took a moment to observe the young man. From just looking at him, no one would guess what he had gone through. He hadn't known, the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs had let something that big slide. It certainly shone a new light on the man. He was always kind, happy and quick with a joke. He could see the light in the world, after spending so long on the deepest shadows it had to offer. Gibbs himself couldn't do that.

The agent had looked into Palmer's file, hidden in his childhood records were all those horrible things they had seen inside his head. For his surprise the abuse suffered on the care of that foster home was not there, he guessed that no one had ever found out. He also had looked into the time where Jimmy had been found as a young child. Knowing nothing but his first name. The cabin where he lived was found eventually, unfortunately the man and his mother were not. But from the amount of blood found, the police stipulated that she had not survived.

Palmer deserved closure, and Gibbs would be damned if he would not work on the case until he could have it.

But first, he had a foster parent to talk to. And he would enjoy that talk very much.


	25. Chapter 25

He looked at the clock on the wall, counting the seconds. He was tired, he wanted to go home.

He looked at Dr Mallard, working on his desk. How horrible was it that he felt like he would go insane if he didn't leave the presence of a man who cared for him so deeply? It was wrong.

But he had to. He couldn't breathe. He was tired, forcing himself to work and focus on anything but, was hard. To force himself to act normal, or as normal as he was managing.

He felt even worse when he thought that Abby made him feel bad at the moment. For many reasons. He liked her, but thinking of her at the moment just made him remember things he didn't want to.

When the time for him to leave arrived, he left as fast as he could without looking like he was running away.

In his car, he took a moment to turn it on. He didn't want to go home, he still looked at the walls and could clearly remember his hallucinations, he didn't want to stay at work. He just wanted to relax.

After a quick moment, he decided to go for neither, turning on the vehicle and driving without a direction and stopping on the first hotel he could find.

* * *

Gibbs had asked for the woman to arrive after the time he knew Palmer would already be gone. If he could, he wouldn't ask too much of the young man. Funny how, before entering Jimmy's mind, he never called him young man. Now, he had to force himself not to call him kid.

He was still at his desk when a junior agent walked over to the bullpen with a dark skinned woman in her fifties.

" Gibbs. " She greeted him.

" Julia. " He greeted, nodding to the agent and the junior agent leaving. " Follow me. "

He led her to the conference room, she took a seat.

" How's work treating you? " He asked, taking a seat of his own.

" I wished to say it was light, but CPS never seems to have easy times. " She said, smiling. " I imagine neither does the navy criminal classes? "

He chuckled, shaking his head.

" Nah. " He said.

" Now, why am I here? You didn't mention anything on the phone. " Asked the woman.

" I don't have an active case, but I have something for you. " He said.

" I should make notes, shouldn't I? " She asked.

He smiled nodding.

" I have a name for you. " He said. " Don't know he is still a foster parent, but he used to be. " He took a paper from the pocket of his blazer, giving to her.

" And? " She asked reading the name and placing the paper on top of the notebook she took from her purse.

" He's trouble. " Said Gibbs. " Someone who was under his care as a child told me. He beats kids. Bad. "

The woman sighed and rubbed her eyes. She was used to kids' pain, but it never got easy.

" No matter how much we work, someone always slips through the cracks. " She said, placing her pen on the paper again.

" I'm not telling you the name of the person, not yet at least. " Said Gibbs.

" Doesn't want to come forward? " She asked.

" Not yet at least. I'll need a time to be convincing enough. " He said.

" But you don't want to his this monster still out there. " She guessed the line of thought of the man.

" Exactly. "

" Well, usually when they are abusive, they don't just stop or just do it on one kid. " She said. " Other kids would have suffered something too. I'll look over things without asking for your witness to say anything, but he/she, will need to eventually. You are sure of what you're saying? "

Gibbs hid the wave of hot white rage that came with the memories of what he saw in Jimmy's memories, but nodded.

" Positive. "

* * *

Gibbs and the rest of the team continued working on ' Jimmy's cases ' in between their own work load. Not hiding it from him, but not throwing it on his face either. Which was not hard, he hadn't exactly been sociable lately. They understood and respected it.

That didn't stop them from wondering what they could do to help him.

Abby was the one to try the hardest, specially because Jimmy, in the most polite and gentle way possible, had been avoiding her.

That's why, she got authorization from Ducky to take the man to a long lunch. They would have a nice talk and he could tell her how he felt.

" Jimmy! " She exclaimed, entering the autopsy room, a black picnic basket on her hands. " Want to have lunch with me? "

Jimmy looked at her surprised, she had just appeared out of nowhere. A look to her face and Abby could see he wanted to say no, but didn't have the heart to.

" I baked cookies for dessert! And made sandwiches! " She added. " You usually take your lunch break at this time, no? "

" Yeah. " He said, then looking at Ducky, sitting at his desk and working on signing some reports.

" You can go Mr Palmer. " He said. " Take the time you need. I suspect it will take some time to taste everything Abigail has put on that basket. "

He smiled slightly and allowed Abby to drag him out.

* * *

" Here! " She said, placing the basket on the ground. " This is the spot. Perfect! "

Jimmy looked around the spot that looked exactly the same as the former ones, but if she said this was it, he believed her.

He helped her place the towel on the ground, smiling slightly at the red and black print of skulls. Then both sat down.

People might find weird two people having a picnic in the middle of the Navy Yard. One dressed in scrubs, the other black goth clothes and a parasol. But if they looked close enough to see one of them was Abby, they didn't anymore.

He helped her in silence as she took out the things from the basket and placed them on top of the towel. Everything had at least a small face on it. Full on decoration to look like little skulls, spiders and other various things on practically everything.

" You were expecting someone else? " He asked, seeing the amount of food. " A rugby team maybe? "

" I just like to be prepared. " She said. " This way I'm sure that there's more than enough for us. You can even take some home. "

" Thanks. " He said, taking a bat decorated sandwich that looked to be turkey flavored. Taking a bite. Thinking of why she had done all this.

" Soooo... " And there it was. " How have you been? "

He looked up at her green eyes, filled with joy, but also concern.

" Good. " He said, but not trying to smile too much. " You now, not bad. "

" Getting better? " She asked. " You know, you can tell me whatever you need. I'm here to listen. "

" Abby... I don't want to upset you, but... I don't really want to talk about it. " He said, looking apologetic. Feeling awkward.

" Sure? Because, all my research says it helps. " She said, eager. " And I did a lot of it. "

" I don't like even thinking about it, talking about it with- "

" Is it because I look like that girl? Millie? " She asked, eyes filled with emotion.

" No! I mean.. Yes, but I don't hold it against you. Is just that is hard- " He stopped his rant, holding his face on his hands. " Try to understand Abby... I am very thankful for what you did for me. But... " He looked at her. " You were INSIDE my mind. You saw my memories. I know I shouldn't but I feel so- "

" Violated? " She asked.

He nodded, already dreading the pain he was going to cause on the girl. To his surprise, she nodded.

" I'm sorry. " She said. " I am sorry it came to it. If we had noticed your symptoms before, it wouldn't have been necessary. " She leaned in, giving him a hug. " We are worried, we want you to get through this with as little pain as possible. We are here to help. "

He hugged her back, surprised. From how bubbly, happy and excited Abby was, it was easy to see her as this delicate thing that was easy to break. Not a grown woman who worked solving murders without ever losing the love she had for people and life.

She smiled at him when the leaned away from each other, giving him a sandwich.

" Take the time you need. " She said. " Just remember that is not something you need to do alone. Or to bury away. "

* * *

The first time he had gone to the hotel, instead of his apartment, it was a relief. He had managed to relax more than he had since the first hallucination as he got 'sick' (if he could call it as such). Those walls reminded him of his fear, reminded him of the things he wanted to avoid. Those walls, that used to fit around him comfortably, now would scratch at his recent injuries, poke and suffocate him.

But should he be worried that he had been staying in a hotel for two weeks, now? It was getting ridiculous. He should go back.

But the hotel was so much simpler. Maybe he should wait another day.

" Hey Gremlin. " Said Tony, walking in the bathroom, seeing the assistant ME washing his hands.

Jimmy looked up from his hands to look back at him.

" Hey, Tony. " He said, then looking back at his hands and focusing on them. He turned off the faucet, then went to get a paper towel to dry up.

He thought he had been very casual in his movements. That it would seem like a normal thoughtless routine.

He hoped Tony hadn't noticed his avoidance of the mirror.

* * *

" Anthony! What brings you by? " Asked the old ME when Tony walked in the autopsy room. The doctor was putting on his coat and hat. " Am I afraid I was already leaving. "

" It will be quick Ducky. " He said, thinking about what he had been the bathroom. " Just a question really. "

" And what is it, my boy? "

" Have you noticed if Jimmy had been avoiding mirrors recently? " He asked. He had noticed the younger man looking away from windows too.

" Avoiding them? " He asked, thinking. " Well, we do not have mirrors, here, but he has been keeping his back to me as he cleans the tables. I will look into it. Why do you ask? "

" Something I have seen. Wanted to make sure it was just a one time thing or not. " He said. " Or something that someone needs to talk to him about. "

" Well, we shall see. " Said Ducky, moving to the door and Tony following. " He does seem to be sleeping better, the bags under his eyes are almost imperceptible now. "

" Yeah, I saw it too. " Said Tony, with a relieved small smile. " Finally. "

" Are you having a hard time not being ' overly ' concerned about him too? " Asked the doctor as they entered the elevator.

" DiNozzos do not get ' overly ' worried. " Said Tony, but he was lying. Jimmy had been right about one thing, he had changed in their eyes. It didn't make them have any negative feelings towards him, but being worried about how he was doing became that much easier. Specially when Tony kept flashing back to the boy in the alley he met all those years ago, with a gun to his head. And all the memories that were forever burned into his brain (saving someone from their nightmares apparently meant carrying them with him too).

The way Ducky chuckled showed him the man knew he was lying.

" Well, I am having a hard time. " Said Ducky, with emphasis on the ' I '. " The boy is too worried about everyone else, is hard not to do the same. "

" Yeah... " Said Tony, thinking of what he should do. When he arrived at his car, saying good bye to Ducky, he had an idea.

He drove straight to Jimmy's place, entering the building and knocking on the door of his apartment.

He knocked and knocked. He rang several times with no answer. Then he decided to call him.

" Hello. "

" Gremlin! "

" Hey Tony. " Said the man, he could hear a TV in the background.

" Came by to invite you for a drink and you're not here. " Said Tony.

" Ohh. I... haven't been sleeping at my apartment these days. " Said Jimmy, sounding embarrassed.

" Really? " Asked Tony, turning around and leaving the building.

" Yeah. I have been staying in a hotel. " He said. " Just to sleep. "

" Anything wrong with your place? Any repair you need to do? " Asked the man, he hadn't seen anything like it the last time he had been there.

" No, nothing major really. " Answered Jimmy, sounding hesitant. " I just felt like it. "

" How about you give me the address of where you're staying? We can have a beer. Is Friday, no work tomorrow. "

The pause showed how willing to go out the man was.

" You don't even have to leave the room. We can watch something on the TV. " Said Tony. " Come on, I told you I would help you when you were starting to steer your boat wrong. "

A sigh.

" Sure. "

* * *

Tony was a good friend. He truly was. And, fortunately, a lot easier to talk to than Abby. Still, why did he had to go to his apartment that day? The hotel bed had been so comfortable. He was in his PJ's and watching crappy TV.

Still, he guessed the man meant well and if he didn't see he was good, he would be worried.

So, he changed into a t-shirt and sweats and took out the sheet that had been covering the mirror in the room from over its frame. Avoiding looking at it.

After half an hour, he heard a rhythmic knock on the door and went to open it.

" Brought beer and chips. " Said the man as soon as he became visible. His usual ' DiNozzo smile on his face. " Let's see if this hotel has decent cable. "

Jimmy gave a polite smile as he had the brown bag shoved in his arms, Tony walking in his usual curious way looking around. The Assistant ME having the impression he was analyzing the place.

He closed the door and placed the bag in a small desk in the corner of the room as Tony sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard and changing the channels of the TV.

" Not bad. " He said. " Sports, good movie channels. Excellent! We have where to start. "

" Start? " Asked Jimmy, taking a beer, opening one and taking a sip.

" Throw me one, will ya? " Asked Tony, grabbing the bottle midair when Jimmy did. " Let's talk. "

" About? " Asked Jimmy, going to the other side of the bed and sitting down, leaning against the headboard. " The GodFather? " He asked, pointing at the TV, Tony having finally stopped in one channel.

" Stuff. " Asked Tony. " You know, things that might be still bothering you. Odd things. Like: Why are you staying in a hotel when you have a perfectly good apartment waiting for you? "

Jimmy looked at the eternal playboy sitting next to him. He hid it under a layer of his usual humor, but he was worried. They all were those days.

" I... " He started, then scoffing. " I don't feel comfortable inside my own apartment. " He finally admitted. " Can't be there anymore. All I see reminds me of the things I saw in there and I can't be in there in order to push them down again. "

Tony was in silence for a moment, before taking a sip of his beer.

" You want to stay in my place? " He asked. Not telling him it was stupid or he had to get over it, like he imagined people doing it if he said he was afraid of his own home. " Better than to throw away your money in this hotel room. Is not that nice, but it can't be cheap, after all these days. "

" No, I couldn't- "

" No problem, really. " Said Tony, looking at him with a serious face. " But there is something. "

" What? " He asked, taking in the solemn tone of the agent.

" You have to take the couch. "

He chuckled, shaking his head.

" Uhhh, that's almost a deal breaker. "

" A lot to ask, I know. " He said. " Even if I have excellent furniture. Aaannnd, we can go to work in the same car. Saves me the gas. You will be doing me a favor. "

He was touched, really he was. And Tony had a way of saying things that didn't make him feel small or like a victim. But to be around others... He wasn't ready. It would be too-

" Gremlin. " Tony interrupted his thoughts. " Is time you allow us to help. Remember, I am here to tell you when you're doing things wrong. Take at least a favor. Is okay to say you need help. "

Jimmy's memory flashed back to an alley years ago.

" Not the first time you tell me this. " He said.

" Not any less true. "

He paused for a long moment.

" Okay. "

Tony smiled, nodding.

" Great! Let's just finish this movie and we can go. "

* * *

Tony helped Jimmy carry his things as they left the hotel room, once again noticing the sheet in the desk by the mirror. He would bet good money that it was covering the mirror before he arrived.

He would question Jimmy about it later, after he was already at his place.

* * *

Jimmy had never been in Tony's place before, but he was happy to learn that he had a couch big enough for him to lay comfortably. He placed his things by it and looked around as Tony went to change out of his suit. It was unlike and just like he expects it to be at the same time. The movie collection he imagined was there, but a picture of Tony with a puppy dog wasn't. He turned the picture frame around, the photo of him with a cat appearing. Why did he have that? He didn't have a cat. Tony talked A LOT about his life, they would have heard if he had a cat or a dog.

The goldfish named Kate was there, they all had heard about it when Tony took her to the vet.

But the decoration was so... nice. Not that Tony didn't have good taste, he did, but Jimmy expected the place to be much more 'jock playboy'. He couldn't explain it very well, but it was certainly surprising to find a piano. Did Tony played? He didn't know that?

" So, what do you think? "

He jumped a foot in the air with a startled GAH! When he heard Tony's voice next to him.

" Sorry. " Said Tony, eyeing him with a raised eyebrow.

" How is it that you walk so silently? " Asked Jimmy, a hand over his heart.

" Socks. "

He looked down, he was indeed without shoes and wearing gray socks that went with the sweat pants and old t-shirt.

" Oh. Well, you scared me. "

" I noticed. " Said Tony. " So, what do you think of Casa Dinozzo? "

" I like it, is nice. But why do you have a picture with a cat and another with a dog? "

" Ladies. "

" I don't follow. " He said, looking at the smirk on the other man's face.

" If she likes dogs... if she likes cats... I am prepared. "

" You don't. " Said Jimmy, looking perplexed at him.

" I do. " Retorted Tony, smirking.

She chuckled, shaking his head.

" And the piano? "

" To play, obviously. "

" I didn't know you played. "

" You don't know everything about me. " Said Tony, smirking and moving to sit on the stool in front of the instrument. Placing his hands on the keys. " Sit down, let me show you how it's done. Maybe you can even use it to help you with girls. "

" I don't need help with girls, but sitting next to Tony anyway.

" Sush, sush. Listen to teacher, Jimmy, my boy. " Said the eternal man-child. His fingers playing a quick sequence of notes.


End file.
